Jean says, 'It's important to make a distinction between British doulas and those in other countries, because each country has a different medical system and different social provisions. Things that a doula can do in the USA, for example, may not even be legal for a doula in Britain.' For information on the practice and ethics of doulas, and how to train as a doula, contact Top Notch's Leanne Royeppen on 0870 757 5353.
* Family Match of Winchester presented a cheque for 1,015 to the charity Barnardo's last month. Managing director Jenny Warner said, 'We are delighted to have raised this money to donate to such an important children's charity, as this reflects our primary concern in ensuring that children can thrive in a safe and secure environment. We hope that our donation will contribute in some small way to the work done by Barnardo's to give children a feeling of self-worth and love.'
* An agency that set up in Nottingham last year has just opened another branch to cater for the demand over a wider area. Nottinghamshire Nannies has responded to interest from nannies and parents by starting Nannies North to cover Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
Proprietor Anne-Marie Waghorne says her service includes giving nannies advice about interviews and helping to draw up contracts and job descriptions. 'We pride ourselves on seeing that all the nannies are police-checked,' she adds, 'and nannies themselves feel protected.'
Anne-Marie can be contacted on 01636 830 898 (mobile 07929 982 618).
* For a look behind the scenes at running a nanny agency, tune in to 'Trouble at the Top - Nanny Boys' on BBC2 at 9.50 tonight (March 28). It follows the attempts of brothers Ben and Oliver Black to turn Tinies into the McDonalds of the childcare market with franchises around the UK. We haven't seen the programme but it's bound to be an eye-opener. And why is it that women's work is only considered interesting when men do it?
