News
National Maternity Strategy
The Year of Care Campaign has formally made a submission to the Joint Committee on Health as part of discussions on the successor to Ireland’s National Maternity Strategy 2016–2026.
The submission calls for a stronger national focus on postnatal care and maternal wellbeing throughout the first year after childbirth, recognising that recovery and adjustment do not end six weeks after birth.
The campaign is advocating for a compassionate, preventative and woman-centred approach to maternal care which places the postnatal year at the centre of future maternity reform in Ireland.
Key recommendations within the submission include:
- The development of a national “Year of Care” postnatal framework
- Improved maternal mental health supports
- Better access to physical recovery services
- Greater continuity between maternity and community care
- Community and peer support initiatives
- Measures to reduce maternal isolation
- More equitable access to postnatal supports nationwide
- Greater investment in maternity workforce capacity
The submission also calls for the Government to pilot an integrated national Year of Care programme supporting mothers from birth to twelve months postpartum.
As Ireland develops a new National Maternity Strategy, the Year of Care Campaign believes there is now a significant opportunity to become an international leader in compassionate, evidence-based postnatal and maternal wellbeing care.
The full submission has been provided to the Joint Committee on Health and relevant political representatives as part of the consultation process. You can read the submission in full by downloading the PDF below.
Mother Voices: Centring the Experiences of Mothers in Ireland
On May 6th 2026, marking World Maternal Mental Health Day, Mother Voices brought together women from across Ireland for an evening of honest conversation, reflection and connection centred around the realities of motherhood.
Hosted as part of the Year of Care Campaign, the event created space for mothers with very different lived experiences to share their stories openly, from experiences of postnatal mental health challenges and migration, to motherhood within systems of inequality, advocacy, healing, resilience and community.
Moderated by Clare McKenna, the evening featured a panel of remarkable women who spoke with courage, honesty and vulnerability about the complexities of motherhood in Ireland today. Together, their voices highlighted the many realities mothers navigate, while also reinforcing the urgent need for greater support, connection and investment in maternal wellbeing.
A key message that emerged throughout the evening was the importance of listening to mothers directly. Too often, conversations about motherhood happen without mothers themselves being meaningfully included. Mother Voices aimed to challenge that by placing lived experience at the centre of the conversation.
The event also highlighted the power of community and peer support networks for mothers, particularly grassroots initiatives that create connection, reduce isolation and foster belonging.
Mother Voices was more than an event, it was a reminder that when women come together to share their experiences honestly, meaningful conversations and lasting change can begin.
Thank you to every speaker, attendee, supporter and volunteer who made the evening possible.
This conversation does not end here.
Interview with Clare McKenna
You can listen back here to Aolish’s interview with Clare McKenna on Newstalk here where we spoke about the Year of Care Campaign and why every mother in Ireland should leave hospital after having a baby knowing exactly what support is available to her, how to access it and when she can expect it throughout that first year and why care should never depend on location, capacity or chance.
Maternal Wellbeing in Ireland Event
Join us for the National Launch of the Year of Care Campaign
Maternal psychological wellbeing remains one of the most significant, pressing and under- addressed public health challenges in Ireland. Its impacts extend far beyond mothers themselves, affecting children, families, communities and the wider economy.
Persistent gaps in maternity and postnatal care, childcare provision and workplace supports urgently need to be addressed. These shortcomings affect not only mothers, but also families, communities, the economy and society as a whole.
This event brings together research evidence, lived experience and policy expertise to examine the realities facing mothers in Ireland – and what needs to change.
This event will draw on findings from The State of Motherhood in Europe 2024, a landmark study commissioned by Make Mothers Matter and conducted by Kantar. The research surveyed 9,600 mothers across 11 EU countries and the UK.
The findings reveal particularly acute pressures facing mothers in Ireland:
- 77% of mothers report feeling mentally overloaded
- Ireland ranks among the top three European countries for maternal burnout and anxiety
- 61% of mothers report insufficient societal and policy support
- 36% are dissatisfied with maternity leave in Ireland
These findings point to deep structural challenges, including gaps in maternity and postnatal care, inadequate childcare provision, limited workplace flexibility and the ongoing undervaluation of care work. Together, they underscore the urgent need for policy and system reform.
From Pregnancy to Early Motherhood
The event will also feature presentations from mothers, advocates, researchers, healthcare professionals and policymakers, followed by a panel discussion open to audience participation. Together, these discussions will examine the continuum of care and support for mothers in Ireland – from before pregnancy through early motherhood and beyond.
Launch of the Year of Care Campaign
The event will also mark the national launch of the Year of Care Campaign in Ireland. The campaign calls for one full year of postnatal care for mothers, replacing the current six-week model.
It seeks to reframe postnatal care as a critical period for prevention, early intervention and long-term wellbeing, aligning Irish practice with international evidence and best practice.
From Evidence to Action
This event is about more than highlighting challenges. By bringing together research evidence, lived experience and professional expertise, it aims to:
- Raise awareness of the systemic drivers of poor maternal mental health in Ireland.
- Promote practical, evidence-based policy solutions.
- Strengthen collaboration across health, care and employment sectors, engaging with mothers at every level.
- Support concrete commitments to reform maternity, postnatal and childcare systems.
At a time of growing pressure on families, this event offers a space to move beyond diagnosis and toward meaningful action – placing maternal wellbeing at the centre of Ireland’s health, care and social policy agenda.
Join us in person or online to hear the evidence, share your experience and take this opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and help shape the future of maternity and perinatal care in Ireland. Your input is vital and invaluable.
Register at the link: REGISTER HERE
Year of Care Briefing Held in Leinster House
This week marked a significant milestone for the campaign, with a formal briefing delivered in Leinster House.
The briefing focused on the urgent need for structured, guaranteed postnatal care for the full first year after birth. Discussions centred on extending support beyond the current six-week model, improving access to maternal mental health services and investing in community-based supports so that no mother feels left alone during one of the most vulnerable periods of her life.
Seanad Backs Call for Year-Long Postnatal Mental Health Support
Holly Cairns Raises Year of Care with the Taoiseach
Aolish speaks with David McCullagh on RTE Radio 1 about the campaign.
Social Democrats Supporting the Year of Care Campaign
Something powerful began in Sligo on May 10th.
The Year of Care campaign officially launched, led by Mothers, backed by community and fuelled by the belief that every mother deserves to be seen, supported, and cared for in the year after birth.
From inspiring guest speakers like Ailbhe Smyth and Tracy Holmes to the beautiful show of solidarity from those who attended, the energy in the room was electric. It was emotional. It was real.
This is a grassroots movement born from lived experience and it’s just the beginning. Thank you to everyone who showed up,spoke out and stood with us. Follow the campaigns journey on social media by following yearofcarecampaign on Instagram and Facebook, share the message and help us build a culture of care for Mothers across Ireland.
Aolish spoke to the Irish Times about the Year of Care Campaign.
Campaign Launch
Year of Care will be launching in Sligo on May 10th. I’m honoured to be joined on the night by two inspiring guest speakers:
Tracy Holmes author of Raising Resilience and a powerful voice for maternal mental health and Ailbhe Smyth renowned Irish campaigner and advocate for women’s rights.
It’s an honour to be joined by these two women, both who bring deep wisdom and passion to this conversation.
This campaign has grown from conversations, quiet, powerful ones with other Mothers who like me, carried more than they could say. Women who shared their stories of feeling unseen, unsupported, or simply overwhelmed in the weeks and months after they had their babies. Stories that echoed my own experience and stories that reminded me, despite how we might feel we are not alone.
This launch will be an evening of honest conversation, shared experiences and solidarity, a space to reflect on where we’ve been, and imagine what’s possible.
The launch is free to attend just book via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/year-of-care-campaign-launch-tickets-1330797514189?aff=oddtdtcreator
