All ELDAA Professional Members have completed comprehensive Doula training, as well as all other requirements, as per our list here: https://www.eldaa.org.nz/membership.
 

Doulas provide non-clinical practical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and social support to people and their families, who are living with life-limiting illness and preparing for death.

 

We do not take the place of those already supporting a person, we work collaboratively alongside them to create a wider circle of care.

 

Our mahi allows us to provide the time and continuity for a person and their family, walking alongside them from diagnosis, through the illness/treatment journey, palliation, death, and after death care and bereavement.

 

Where you see a need, all you have to do is tell people that Doulas are available to them, and direct them to our website to understand more, and then they can make their own choice as to whether they want to reach out to one of us to start a conversation.

 

All ELDAA Doulas provide an initial meeting for free, to assess the person’s needs, see if they’re the right fit for each other, and discuss their terms of engagement.  And where a family can’t afford to pay even a koha or donation for our services, we try to at least provide some support where we can.

 

Please note that often Doulas can work remotely to support a person also.

 

Please reach out to any of us if you’d like to discuss further, and the below articles may help guide you further as to what we can do.

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The international articles describe findings from research into how Doulas are working alongside health professionals and improving care for many overseas.’

 

The Hospice New Zealand webinar from July 2026, engaged two of our Professional Members, Sarah Campbell-Simpson and Gaylene Delaney, to share what Doulas do (and don’t do), as well as examples of how they’ve made a difference to familys' journeys.