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13147 NHS BAME Appointment Timeline A4 Poster Bengali PROOF_2

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Pregnancy information wallets translated into 9 languages at Ipswich

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Pregnancy information wallets translated into 9 languages at Ipswich

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Romanian, Farsi, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Polish
Securing funding for rollout to Colchester and West Suffolk

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This factsheet is for people evacuated from Afghanistan. It provides information on your rights and the next steps regarding your immigration status in the UK.

On behalf of the whole country, we would like to warmly welcome you to the United Kingdom.

We appreciate this will be an extremely difficult time for both you and your loved ones, but you are welcome here in the UK and we encourage you to make the most of everything the UK has to offer.

Your rights

If you do not have your passport with you, you will have received an official letter from the Home Office when you arrived in the UK.

This letter, together with either your passport and immigration stamp or the IS116 form which you were given when you arrived, are proof that you remain eligible to work and access services such as a GP (doctor), medical treatment and school places.

You can show them if you are asked to prove your immigration status, for example to:

access benefits and services

show that you are eligible to work

enter into a tenancy agreement in England (this is not a requirement in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

If you do not have a passport or biometric residence permit (details below), employers, landlords, the National Health Service (NHS), local authorities and government departments can confirm your status with the Home Office:

prospective employers should contact the Employer Checking Service

prospective landlords should contact the Landlord Checking Service

the NHS, local authorities and other government departments can contact the Home Office via established communication channels

You will also be eligible for financial support and accommodation if you need it. We can help you to evidence your entitlements to services and you should speak to the welfare team at the hotel if you require urgent financial support.

UK immigration routes

We will work with you to secure your long-term UK immigration status over the next six months. There are a number of different immigration routes and we will work with you to identify which is best for you.

When you arrived in the UK, you will have been given permission to stay (we call this ‘leave to enter’), usually for 6 months. We are now contacting everyone to help them complete an application form to apply for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and explain how you can give your biometrics (fingerprints and photograph), if you have not already done so. We will issue you with a letter which confirms that your application for permanent immigration status is being progressed. We will then process your application as quickly as possible so that we can issue you with a biometric residence permit.

The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) offers relocation to the UK for eligible Afghan citizens, employed by the UK government locally in Afghanistan in exposed, meaningful or enabling roles, and assessed to be at serious risk as a result of their work; and to those contracted to provide linguistic services to UK armed forces and who worked with us in exposed, meaningful, enabling roles that made a material difference to the delivery of the UK mission in Afghanistan.

Any current or former staff directly employed by the UK government assessed to be at serious risk of threat to life are eligible to apply for ARAP regardless of their employment status, rank or role, or length of time served.

People already relocated to the UK under the ARAP can apply free of charge to convert their limited leave into indefinite leave. This will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future.

Further information on ARAP and online applications is available on GOV.UK.

ARAP family members

A partner and dependent child(ren) (under 18) can be included in an ARAP application, and they will be resettled under the Immigration Rules if the Afghan citizen is. Other family members included in an ARAP application will be considered on an exceptional basis for leave outside the Immigration Rules.

Further information on ARAP and online applications is available on GOV.UK.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)

The UK formally opened the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) on 6 January 2022. If you arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme and if you are not eligible under the other routes, you may be resettled under the ACRS. You will be notified if you are eligible and will not need to apply to the scheme.

Further information on ACRS is available on GOV.UK.

Your family members overseas

If you have been evacuated from Afghanistan under the ARAP, eligible family members included in your application can join you in the UK once they have given their biometrics. Family members who were not included in your application can still apply to come to the UK under the ARAP, and will be considered on an exceptional basis outside the ARAP Immigration Rules.

Further information on ARAP and online applications is available on GOV.UK.

If you have been evacuated from Afghanistan under ACRS without your immediate family (spouse or partner and children under 18), further information will be made available in due course about options for reuniting with them.

If you have refugee status, and you wish to bring pre-flight family members(family with whom you had a relationship before you left Afghanistan), they can apply to come to the UK under Family Reunion Immigration Rules. There is more information on family reunion on GOV.UK.

If you do not have refugee status, and you wish to be joined by family, they would need to apply through the regular family visa route under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

If you are overseas and were not offered resettlement under ARAP or ACRS

You will need to apply to come to the UK under the existing work, study or family Immigration Rules. You will be expected to meet the requirements of your chosen route, which includes paying relevant fees and charges, and giving biometrics.

Please note that there is currently no option to give biometrics in Afghanistan.

Find out more on visas and immigration on GOV.UK.

Existing visa holders

You may hold a visa or entry clearance to come the UK, either to work, study, visit or to join family who already live here. Depending on the visa you applied for, you may have different rights and a different length of stay in the UK.

You should check the conditions of your visa. Further information on UK visas is available on GOV.UK.

Chevening Scholars

If you are an Afghan Chevening Scholar, you should continue to liaise with your Chevening contact to find out what you need to do next.

If your permission to enter the UK has expired or is about to expire

You must contact the helpline (details below) and we will arrange to regularise your status.

If you are an employer/landlord and have been approached by someone evacuated from Afghanistan whose permission to enter the UK has expired or is about to expire, you must ask them to contact the helpline (details below) and we will arrange to regularise their status.

Helpline

If you have questions about the support available to you, you can contact the welfare helpline.

Telephone 02475 389 980 – select option 1

Monday to Sunday, 6am to 6pm

Call charges vary depending on your phone provider and whether you use a landline or mobile. Further information on call charges is available on GOV.UK.

Further information on the UK government’s response can be found on GOV.UK.

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Next steps in the UK: immigration information for people evacuated from Afghanistan

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This factsheet is for people evacuated from Afghanistan. It provides information on your rights and the next steps regarding your immigration status in the UK.

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Hear why the African community in Colchester need a different approach

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Hear why the African community in Colchester need a different approach

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Sway requires JavaScript
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How to turn on JavaScript

African Families in the UK

Microsoft Sway

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Sway: Create and share interactive reports, presentations, personal stories, and more.

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Sway is an easy-to-use digital storytelling app for creating interactive reports, presentations, personal stories and more. Its built-in design engine helps you create professional designs in minutes. With Sway, your images, text, videos, and other multimedia all flow together in a way that enhances…

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ESNEFT LGBT Network and maternity meeting

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ESNEFT LGBT Network and maternity meeting

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18/05/2022

David Haggerty leads the LGBTQ+ Network as a volunteer alongside his main role in radiography. Since 2018 there has been a small team supported by ESNEFT's chief executive with an executive sponsor in the chief nurse Giles. David acknowledges ESNEFT's commitment to the Network and inclusivity and it is clear that the determination and drive from David and his team enables change to happen.

“The network exists to empower LGBT+ staff to achieve their full potential through creating a positive and supportive working environment to treat the patients we serve.”

The ESNEFT LGBT+ Network has worked with Comms to create their own branding with their own Trust Intranet page, generic Trust

email (lgbt@esneft.nhs.uk) + Facebook (ESNEFT LGBT Network) and Twitter (@esneft_lgbt) accounts.

Network meetings (pre Covid) were popular with guest speakers such as the Terence Higgins Trust MIND and Metro presenting. They have strong ties with local LGBTQIA charity “The Outhouse” – and have undertaken joint projects and have them as a signpost for the ESNEFT occupational health team. The Outhouse were instrumental in coproducing posters for around the hospital. The Network is part of the NHS Rainbow Pin badge scheme – every member gets one + signs a pledge. David was passionate about not only the support for staff and patients but in including allies and promoting much needed awareness.

Education, awareness and updating

ESNEFT education team have funded LGBTQIA awareness sessions throughout 2022. These are 4 hour sessions and maternity attendance has been positive. The LMNS has also commissioned the Outhouse to provide an hour dedicated LGBTQIA session for all maternity staff.

Meeting David and discussing some of the challenges faced by the wider hospital enables a real insight and has provided some interesting thoughts that may be translated into maternity.

David described the challenges in radiography of X-ray when a person presents as a male but was born female. We discussed the Inclusive pregnancy status guidelines for ionising radiation which has been produced by the Society of Radiographers.

Other challenges David highlighted are the inclusion of sanitary ware/bins in male specific toilets and blood screening when the patient presents as male but was assigned female at birth.

LGBTQ+ partnership with maternity

The LMNS has commissioned maternity specific LGBTQ+ training via the Outhouse for midwives across the system.

The ESNEFT training that is offered to all staff has been accessed particularly by maternity services, and David has been impressed by the interest and enthusiasm.

We have created a video of Caspar and Kyle, two men, one who is transgender, who birthed their baby recently at ESNEFT.

Their experience can be viewed here https://youtu.be/ MompNY8ZDqs

We are currently commissioning another film that includes not only the lived experience but the midwife perspective alongside other professional organisations offering insights.

LMNS wide resources such as guidelines for staff, birth preferences for pregnant people, maternity inclusivity posters and increasing awareness will improve how people are welcomed into maternity services.

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Caspar is the first transgender man to birth with ESNEFT Colchester. Listen to his story here.

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0:00 / 6:47•Watch full video

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Caspar and Kyle - birthing, LGBTQ community, and our experience

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Perinatal information in 17 other languages

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Perinatal information in 17 other languages

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Marius Daniel Banceanu

EUSS Project Advocate
Delivering activities aiming to raise awareness about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) amongst Roma migrants and to enable them to make EUSS applications.

Mihai Bica​

Brexit Information and Campaigning Worker
​ Supporting Roma people in achieving their rights to residency in the UK following Brexit and increasing their likelihood of engaging with the requirements of the EU Settled Status process.

Policy and Information Worker
Influencing policies which affect Roma refugees and migrants, ensuring that the Roma voice is effectively communicated to policy makers, the media and other key stakeholders.

Advice and Advocacy Casework Supervisor
Supervising and supporting Advice and Advocacy Workers with their casework and training needs.

EUSS Project Advocate
Delivering activities aiming to raise awareness about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) amongst Roma migrants and to enable them to make EUSS applications.

Financial Inclusion Community Advocate
Enhancing financial inclusion of Roma migrants through enabling them to exercise welfare rights and improving their confidence to manage their money.

​Mental Health Advocate
Providing independent one-to-one mental health advocacy service for Roma refugees and migrants in order to facilitate their access to statutory mental health services

Tania Gessi

EUSS Project Coordinator
Coordinating activities aiming to raise awareness about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) amongst Roma migrants and support them to make EUSS applications.

Ketane - Together: Roma Shaping Futures Project Coordinator
Coordinating training, advocacy and campaigning programmes to empower Roma migrant communities to attain EU Settled Status and navigate the post-Brexit migration system.

Sylvia Ingmire

Chief Executive
Overall co-ordination and management of the organisation and its activities; staff recruitment, induction and supervision; policy, planning and development; fundraising and financial management, publicity and promotion; office management. ​​

Ewelina Pawlowska

EUSS Project Advocate
Delivering activities aiming to raise awareness about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) amongst Roma migrants and to enable them to make EUSS applications.

Financial Inclusion Community Advocate
Enhancing financial inclusion of Roma migrants through enabling them to exercise welfare rights and improving their confidence to manage their money.

Chris Price

Financial Inclusion Project Coordinator
Coordinating a programme of advice and advocacy activities to enable Roma migrants to exercise their welfare rights and enhance their confidence to manage their money.

Interim Advice Quality Standard (AQS) Supervisor
Ensuring that our advice and advocacy service adheres to the Advice Quality Standard.

Gaba Smolinska-Poffley​​

Deputy Manager and Roma Support and Engagement Programme Leader
Supporting overall co-ordination and management of the organisation and office management. Providing support to statutory and non-statutory organisations working with the Roma community through training, consultancy and capacity building support.

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EUSS Project Advocate Delivering activities aiming to raise awareness about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) amongst Roma migrants and to enable them to make EUSS applications. Brexit Information and Campaigning Worker​ Supporting Roma people in achieving their rights to residency in the UK following Brexit and increasing their likelihood of engaging with the requirements of the EU Settled Status process.

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We are a registered charity (no. 1006244), providing opportunities for LGBTQ+ people in Essex. Our mission is to develop and promote a sustainable, fair and equal society where all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can achieve their full potential.

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Brighton and Hove guideline

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Our Vision

The vision of AFiUK is to equip African and other ethnic minority families in the UK to take their rightful place as fruitful members of our society, and to make the most of the available opportunities in their adopted country without adversely affecting the strong family and community networks that Africans are known for.

Aims

To be the one-stop place for families of African and other ethnic minority origin, resident in the UK, seeking advice or information, on matters relating to parenting, children's education and any family-friendly activities that enrich family life.

To offer consultation and expert knowledge to professionals and practitioners from Local Authorities and other family support agencies.

How

Helping to set up and run children's clubs focused on various interests, as indicated by parents and their children

Helping to set up self-help parenting groups

Offering parenting training on pertinent subjects such as cross-cultural parenting, and effective parenting at the different ages and stages of family life

Training volunteers for befriending

Setting up teams to run parallel children's programmes at community events such as church functions, school cultural days, community celebrations & National days, or conferences.

Linking with other agencies such as Health, Social Services and Education to provide tailored training and information seminars to families

Facilitating open dialogue workshops between practitioners and users of public services

Running cultural awareness workshops for practitioners of public services

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The vision of AFiUK is to equip African and other ethnic minority families in the UK to take their rightful place as fruitful members of our society, and to make the most of the available opportunities in their adopted country without adversely affecting the strong family and community networks that Africans are known for.

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"Twice we lost everything in our house, all our possessions. If you are not strong, you lose yourself as well."

"I can't erase the memory of my friends who are dead now because we tried to fight for freedom."

"I did not think of what was ahead of me. I was thinking of my little children, I was thinking of my family - will I ever see them again?"

Click here to download our refugee stories booklet.

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"Twice we lost everything in our house, all our possessions. If you are not strong, you lose yourself as well." "I can't erase the memory of my friends who are dead now because we tried to fight for freedom." "I did not think of what was ahead of me.

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Offering appointed bilingual Support Worker(s) who can provide information, help and support to local Bangladeshi people on such issues as:

Benefits, Council Tax and Housing

Racial Harassment and Filling-in Forms

Educational Issues, Training and many other issues

Level 1 Immigration Advice

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BSC Multicultural Services

Press Release - Celebrating Educational Achievements!

PRESS RELEASE

Tom Hunt announced as Ambassador for award-winning Ipswich charity

Events, Notices etc.

Click posters for a PDF version in new tab
BSC Multicultural Services (BSCMS), working in partnership with Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, is delighted to announce that a new Social Prescribing Service for the Black Ethnic Minority (BME) communities in Ipswich and East Suffolk area has been established. Our three part-time Social Prescribers will be proactively working with other agencies / stakeholders (eg, GP surgeries, hospitals and pharmacies) to provide one-to-one holistic service to clients from diverse backgrounds.
Saturday School is postponed.

Today (18/09/20), Tom Hunt, MP for Ipswich, was officially unveiled as a new Ambassador for BSC Multicultural Services (BSCMS), a multi-award-winning charity in Ipswich with more than 20 years of excellent track record.

As an Ambassador Hunt will become more closely involved in the charity's work in the community and play a key role in promoting it and helping it reach more people. This includes BSC Multicultural Services' programmes like the Supplementary School run on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays for disadvantaged young people and the Befriending Scheme which supports vulnerable elderly people to stay fit, healthy and independent.

Previously known as the Bangladeshi Support Centre, BSC Multicultural Services was established in 1998 by local volunteers. It now supports local people from over 50 different nationalities, and from all faiths, cultures and backgrounds. (Some of the charity's achievements in 2019 can be found at the end of this release.)

Hunt has been in close contact with BSC Multicultural Services since before he was elected and since then has been coordinating with the charity on issues like the community response to Covid-19 and his membership of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, BSC Multicultural Services has been at the forefront, delivering hundreds of food parcels to some of the most vulnerable people in Ipswich in partnership with Suffolk Community Foundation.

Hunt has also raised the excellent work of BSC Multicultural Services in the House of Commons and in his maiden speech he acknowledged the enormous contribution the Bangladeshi Community makes to Ipswich.

Following the announcement, Tom said:
"It's brilliant to become an Ambassador of BSC Multicultural Services. They have played an invaluable role in our Town for more than 20 years and never has this come to the fore than during the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team over the coming years. Not only have they done a fantastic job supporting our wonderful Bangladeshi community here in Ipswich, but also people from over 50 other nationalities."
"During COVID-19 they have been supporting some of the most vulnerable within our community through their Emergency Food Packs and Hardship Fund, and hundreds of families in desperate need are receiving invaluable support."

Following the announcement, Chair of BSC Multicultural Services, Boshor Ali said: "Tom Hunt is a very good friend of BSCMS and we are delighted to have him as our Ambassador, proactively supporting our work locally and championing us at the national level. We can now build on this going forward!"
BSC Multicultural Services - What it is and what it does
Formerly known as Bangladeshi Support Centre and set up 20 years ago by a committed group of volunteers it is now a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. Operating from an accessible community building (that also houses other VCSE organisations including Citizens Advice, Ipswich) in Suffolk's most ethnically diverse and vibrant town, the BSC reaches out to advance education and empower individuals and communities.

Its mission remains:
"To support people of BME communities in Suffolk and engage them in social, cultural, educational and recreational activities by:
~ Advancing education and training
~ Empowering individuals and communities
~ Providing information, help and support in a culturally sensitive environment"

The organisation provides a number of capacity building programmes for local communities, a resource and learning centre and key referral advice agency. The project also works closely with statutory and voluntary organisation partners on projects related to health, education, employment, housing, welfare rights and crime.

Increasingly, we also work with individual communities to develop a stronger sense of cultural identity, skills in their heritage language and encourage engagement in education, both adults, children and young people. This work is not about segregating sections of any community from the wider community but about having a greater appreciation of their own self and their place in British society. As an ethnic minority organisation we have recently grown to considerable, and well-deserved, pre-eminence; and there are very few other specialist service providers like us dedicated to primarily serving the needs of BME communities and striving for harmonious inter-relationships and community cohesion.

BSC wins Suffolk Voluntary Organisation of the Year Award - Inspiring Young People at the High Sheriff's Awards 2019 on 28 March at Wherstead Park, Ipswich. See news item
Free Charity Hosting by Kualo

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BSC Multicultural Services Press Release - Celebrating Educational Achievements! PRESS RELEASE Click posters for a PDF version in new tab BSC Multicultural Services (BSCMS), working in partnership with Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, is delighted to announce that a new Social Prescribing Service for the Black Ethnic Minority (BME) communities in Ipswich and East Suffolk area has been established.

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P.H.O.E.B.E is an Ipswich-based registered charity that offers specialist advice, information, casework, advocacy and support and counselling services to black and ethnic minority women and children.

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P.H.O.E.B.E is an Ipswich-based registered charity that offers specialist advice, information, casework, advocacy and support and counselling services to black and ethnic minority women and children.

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Home - Phoebe Centre UK

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FREE webinar

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Course List - The BAME Birthing With Colour Online Academy

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This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

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Dear midwives - let's talk about me being black....

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Dear midwives - let's talk about me being black....

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Health Education England offers free access to it's Cultural Competence E Learning
Cultural Competence - e-Learning for Healthcare (e-lfh.org.uk)

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BSL pregnancy and Corona virus information

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BSL pregnancy and Corona virus information

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Talking about risk and ethnicity

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Infographic translated

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QR code to video info

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We are the VOICES Network. We are ready, are you?

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How to ensure BAME women book for maternity care?

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How to ensure BAME women book for maternity care?

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BAME group looking at placing messages in the community reminding families of maternity services and how to access them

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Suffolk Alliance VCSE Perinatal Mental Health Small Grants Fund

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Suffolk Alliance VCSE Perinatal Mental Health Small Grants Fund

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Working with PNMH team on funded projects for peer support for pregnant/postnatal families from BAME communities

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Safe sleeping information- awaiting translation into Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Portuguese 

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Safe sleeping information- awaiting translation into Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Portuguese 

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SF3307 - Safer Sleeping Suffolk Leaflet v2

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Suffolk and north east Essex LMNS BAME Action Plan

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Maternity Voices Partnership actively recruiting for diversity

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Maternity Voices Partnership actively recruiting for diversity

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13147 NHS BAME Appointment Timeline A4 Poster Port

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Raising the profile of our BAME work in SNEE

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Victoria Alabi talks about BAME women and pregnancy

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Victoria Alabi | How can BAME women keep themselves safe during coronavirus and pregnancy?

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There is guidance on increasing support  for women of a Black Asian and minority background  

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There is guidance on increasing support  for women of a Black Asian and minority background  

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Corrine wants you to know the guidelines.MOV

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Awaiting translation

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Increasing Support for at risk pregnant women of a black Asian and minority background

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Midwives are great at listening.But we can only hear what women tell us.Maybe there is more to be heard….

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Midwives are great at listening.But we can only hear what women tell us.Maybe there is more to be heard….