The Motherhood Group’s Black Maternal Mental Health Report UK 2025 draws on 73 documented projects to explore racism, stigma, isolation and barriers to support.
Mothers describe feeling unheard, pressure to appear strong and the importance of trusted community spaces. The report identifies eight themes and five areas for improving care.
- 18,000+ mothers reached across England through TMG’s wider engagement from 2016 to the report’s publication.
- 73 documented projects from 2016–2024 inform the report.
- 110 participants took part in the Southwark maternity research. They included 64 Black or mixed-Black participants (58.2%) and 19 healthcare professionals (17.3%).
- 56 participants across four workshops explored barriers to perinatal mental health services through TMG’s NHS England and NHS Improvement commission.
- 19 Black and mixed-Black mothers explored trust and participation in maternal health research with Genomics England.
- Approximately 35 mothers engaged in a five-week art and music programme with South East London Mind.
- Seven to ten participants was the preferred group size expressed by mothers co-designing Black Mums Connect.
- Three sessions evaluated Tommy’s Miscarriage Support Tool through lived experience and healthcare perspectives.
Eight themes explored
Alongside these figures, the report identifies eight themes in Black mothers’ experiences:
- Community and connection: Belonging, relationships and peer support.
- Positive mental health: Trusted spaces and emotional wellbeing.
- Education and knowledge: Accessible information, rights and services.
- Healthcare transformation: Racism, stereotyping and experiences of care.
- Personal growth: Identity, confidence and development.
- Wellness and activity: Creative, physical and social approaches to wellbeing.
- Advocacy and voice: Being heard and influencing care.
- Cultural innovation: Support shaped by Black mothers’ identities and experiences.
Five areas for action
Building on these themes, the report recommends five areas for improving support:
- Centre local community services: Design welcoming support with Black mothers, including smaller groups, peer support and creative activities.
- Connect public services: Strengthen links between community organisations, maternity teams and mental health services, with clear routes to support.
- Tailor learning and resources: Provide culturally responsive, anti-racist training and accessible information about rights, care and support.
- Strengthen advocacy: Help mothers communicate their needs and access confidential feedback and complaints processes.
- Integrate digital support: Use accessible online resources to connect mothers with information, local services and peer support.
Understanding the evidence
These findings mainly describe experiences and recurring themes. The 18,000+ figure reflects cumulative community reach, rather than one survey’s sample.
Because participation may overlap between projects, the counts should not be added together as unique individuals. They also do not measure population-wide prevalence.
The Motherhood Group’s Black Maternal Mental Health Report UK 2025 identifies recurring experiences of racism, stigma and barriers to support. These qualitative findings show what mothers said matters.
1. Being heard and respected
Mothers described feeling judged and having to work to be taken seriously. Some chose particular clothes for healthcare appointments because they believed their appearance would affect how respectfully they were treated.
2. Pressure to appear strong
The “strong Black woman” stereotype, stigma and fear of judgement can make it harder for mothers to express distress and seek mental health support.
3. Professionals need support too
One mother who was also a midwife described how her professional role overshadowed her own need for support. Knowing the system did not remove her vulnerability.
4. Everyday pressures affect mental health
Mothers connected their emotional wellbeing with housing, financial pressures, physical health and access to public services. Their experiences highlight the need for support that considers the whole person.
5. Trusted community spaces matter
Mothers valued peer support, trusted relationships and culturally responsive spaces where they could speak openly and help shape services.
6. Accessible information supports confidence
Mothers highlighted the importance of information and digital resources that help them understand their rights, ask questions and access maternity and mental health support.
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