Social Work

We support you and your family with care and compassion during hospital stays or clinic visits. Our team provides emotional, practical and culturally safe support through counselling, education, advocacy and referrals.

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How we help

If you are a BC Women's patient in one of our supported programs, you can connect with a social wor​ker for help with mental health, emotional or social concerns. To find out which programs offer this support, see the Programs we support section.

 

‎We are here to support you with:

  • Health concerns
  • Understanding complex or overwhelming information
  • Difficult emotions, including grief and loss

We help you cope by offering:

  • Counselling
  • Advocacy and help navigating the health care system
  • Support with safety planning
  • Information, education and community resources

Our social workers are an important part of your health care team.

 

Pregnancy, childbirth and parenting can be joyful and exciting, but they can also feel scary or overwhelming at times.

Receiving a medical diagnosis or managing a physical or mental health condition can create stress for you and your family. Your health, finances, relationships and life circumstances can all affect how well you are able to cope.

Our social workers are here to listen and support you with any concerns you want to discuss.

You may want to connect with us about:

  • Questions or worries about a treatment plan
  • A medically high-risk pregnancy
  • Previous pregnancy loss or other significant losses
  • A baby admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
  • A traumatic birth experience
  • Miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death
  • Substance use concerns
  • Mental health challenges
  • Social isolation
  • Relationship stress or intimate partner or family violence
  • Finding resources as a new immigrant, refugee or undocumented person
  • Supports available in your home community
  • Financial stress
  • Children's well-being
  • Adoption planning

 
 

All social workers at BC Women’s have professional training from accredited universities and hold a bachelor's or master's degrees in social work. They are also registered with the BC College of Social Workers.

Our goal is to work with you to help:

  • Reduce stress
  • Recognize and build on your strengths
  • Support your safety and well-being

We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-oppressive practices and Indigenous cultural safety.

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Resources

 
 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

The organizations and programs listed here can help you find services in your area that meet your needs:

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Programs we support

Social work services are available in the specialized programs listed below.

 

‎The Maternal Newborn Program provides complete maternity care for people who are pregnant or postpartum, as well as their families. We also support patients and families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or a traumatic birth.

Resources:
 

 

The Maternity Ambulatory Program provides specialized pregnancy and prenatal care. This includes prenatal diagnosis and care for people who need closer monitoring and extra support during pregnancy.

Clinic and service areas

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides specialized medical and surgical care for newborns who need extra support after birth. Babies may come to the NICU if they are born early, have a low birth weight, have trouble breathing, or have an infection.

 
Championing lifelong care

The Oak Tree Clinic provides lifelong care for women* and children living with HIV or reproductive infectious diseases**. Our team delivers culturally safe, trauma-informed and equity-focused care.

We also:

  • Educate health care providers
  • Support policy development
  • Empower patients through interdisciplinary care, advocacy and research

*For this program, 'women' includes people who are anatomically female and people who identify as women, regardless of anatomy or sex assigned at birth.

**Reproductive infectious diseases include infections that affect the reproductive tract, infections during pregnancy, congenital infections, and infections that impact the health and well-being of women.

Learn more: Oak Tree Clinic.

 

 

The Families in Recovery (FIR) Program is the first program of its kind in Canada. It provides specialized support for people who are pregnant or newly parenting while managing substance use and mental health challenges.

Learn more: Families in Recovery (FIR).

 

‎The Complex Chronic Diseases Program (CCDP) offers team-based care for people living with complex, long-term health conditions. Specialists work together to provide coordinated, comprehensive care.

 

 

‎Reproductive Mental Health Services support individuals and families experiencing mental health challenges before, during and after pregnancy and birth.

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