Representing homebirth families since 1979
Homebirth Access Sydney (HAS) is a non-profit organisation and the only group of its kind in Sydney that promotes and supports homebirth as an accessible and attainable birthing option. It performs an extremely important function by sustaining a centrally organised group of caring people, gathering information and making it available to anyone who is interested in childbirth alternatives and the myriad of related issues.
We fulfil our goals by:
- Providing a homebirth information and midwife referral service
- Exhibiting at expos, conferences and festivals, as well as co-hosting the ‘Birth Choices’ evening once a year with the independent midwives
- Selling homebirth products, books and associated merchandise
- Representing homebirth families in discussions with Federal and State Governments and other organisations impacting home births
- Maintaining a web presence for those searching for homebirth information and contacts.
The ‘herstory’ of HAS
The Homebirth Information Service (HIS) was formed in 1979 by a dissatisfied member of the Homebirth Association Sydney and in 1981 defined itself as a Homebirth consumer group. In 1982, the Homebirth Association Sydney and Homebirth Access (formerly HIS) overcame their differences and became a united group called Homebirth Access Sydney. Some milestones are:
- 1987, the decision was made to incorporate HAS.
- 1992, the newsletter was renamed Birthings after David Crossley won a naming competition.
- 2000, the HAS website was launched.
- 2001, Guild Insurance withdrew professional indemnity insurance for independent midwives and suddenly many independent midwives were forced to stop practicing. Pregnant women lost care providers and women lost insured homebirth. HAS, along with other groups like Australian Society of Independent Midwives and the Australian College of Midwives, lobbied governments and insurers to address the situation - without success to date.
- 2005, HAS’s Eastern Suburbs Homebirth Support Group started holding regular evening and daytime community meetings on topics related to natural birth and homebirth.
Committee Positions
We have seven committee positions which report annually at our Annual General Meeting held in January/February, as well as a number of other positions that enable the work of HAS to be done. They report annually on their activities and this information, along with our financial accounting, is forwarded to the Office of Fair Trading where we have been registered as an Incorporated Association since 1991.
The committee meets on the last Tuesday of each month at Australian Doula College 422 Marrickville Rd Marrickville. All welcome (including kids) to find out more about our organisation and to get involved.
2010 Committee Members
To contact the committee please go to our Contact Form here.
Coordinator: Jo Tilly
Assistant Coordinator: VACANT (Inquiries to Coordinator)
Secretary/Treasurer: Greta Werner
Birthings/Website/Newsletter Editor: Virginia Maddock
Advertising: Jenny Carleton
Merchandising: Sarah McLean
Memberships: Virginia Maddock
Events: VACANT (Inquiries to Coordinator)
Volunteer Coordinator: Aurelie Rossignol
Fundraising & Sponsorship: VACANT (Inquiries to Coordinator)
General Information: Virginia Maddock
Members
We currently have active members who subscribe at a cost of $40 per year or $90 for three years. Members receive a copy of our quarterly magazine Birthings, which is full of articles, birth stories, information, support group details and a natural birthing services register. As a member, you will also receive email updates on events and meetings. To subscribe, click here.