FIFO Family Voices: FIFO Parent

1
Welcome

A Senate committee is examining women’s health, including pregnancy, birth and the period after birth.

FIFO families’ experiences are rarely reflected in research and policy.

This form is a chance to share what pregnancy, birth and early parenting have been like for you.

It should take about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how much you choose to share.

Every question is optional unless marked required.

Please answer the questions that apply to your experience.

You can skip anything that does not apply or that you would prefer not to answer.

We will remove employer, worksite, hospital and clinician names before using responses in our submission.

At the end, you can choose whether we may quote you by name, by first name and region, anonymously or not at all.

Senate submissions may be published online and remain accessible for years.

Because fewer people may have worked FIFO while pregnant, details in a story may make a workplace or role easier to recognise. Please do not include names of people, employers, worksites, hospitals or clinicians in your answers.
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Support Is Available

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

If this form brings up difficult feelings, you can pause at any time and contact one of the services below.

PANDA: 1300 726 306

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line: 1300 308 307

Miracle Babies Foundation: 1300 622 243

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978

13YARN: 13 92 76

Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800

Headspace: 1800 650 890

1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
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Which best describes the pregnancy experience you are answering about?* This field is required.If there has been more than one pregnancy, please answer about the experience that stands out most. There is space near the end to share anything else you would like us to know.
I am currently pregnant and working FIFO
I worked FIFO while pregnant in the last 2 years
I worked FIFO while pregnant 2 to 5 years ago
I worked FIFO while pregnant 5 to 10 years ago
I worked FIFO while pregnant more than 10 years ago
Prefer not to say
Other
4
What FIFO roster do your work, or were you working, at the time?* This field is required.All rosters are listed as days on / days off
8/6
7/7
14/7
14/14
21/7
21/21
28/7
28/28
Irregular Roster (e.g. shutdowns)
Other
5
Which state or territory were you living in at the time of the pregnancy?
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
I was living overseas
Prefer not to say
6
Which best describes where you were living at the time of the pregnancy?
Metro, usually less than 40 minutes from the airport
Outer-metro, usually more than 40 minutes from the airport
Regional
Remote
Another country overseas
Prefer not to say
7
Roughly how far was your worksite from the nearest hospital with maternity services?Think about usual total travel time from site, including travel off site where relevant. A rough idea is fine.
Under 1 hour
1 to 3 hours
More than 3 to 6 hours
More than 6 hours
I do not/did not know
Not applicable
Prefer not to say
Other
8
If you were working FIFO while pregnant, what was your plan if you needed urgent pregnancy care while on site? If this happened, what occurred?
You may wish to include who contacting your partner, who was with you, transport to hospital and care for any other children.
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What happened with your role during pregnancy?
Continue(d) in my usual FIFO role without changes
Continue(d) in my usual FIFO work with changes to duties, hours or site
Was redeployed to another role, including light duties
Moved to home-town or office-based work
Requested changes but they were not available
Stopped work - my choice
Stopped work - employers choice
Not applicable
Prefer not to say
Other
10
How did you manage pregnancy appointments around your roster?
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Did FIFO work cause you to miss, delay, shorten or reschedule pregnancy care or appointments?
Yes, once or twice
Yes, multiple - more than twice
No
Not applicable
Prefer not to say
Other
12
Did concerns about telling your employer you were pregnant affect when you sought pregnancy care or told anyone at work?You can share as much or as little as you wish.
13
Did any midwife, GP or obstetrician (clinician) ask whether FIFO or your roster affected your pregnancy, birth or care?* This field is required.Select all that apply.
A clinician asked about FIFO or my roster
I raised it myself
My partner raised it
FIFO or the roster was not discussed
Not sure or cannot remember
Prefer not to say
Other
14
What happened when FIFO or the roster came up? Alternatively, what information or support would you have liked to be offered?
15
Which supports did you or your FIFO family need but were unable to access or attend?Select all that apply.
Feeding or lactation support
Pelvic health or physiotherapy
Psychology or counselling for my partner
Psychology or counselling for me
GP care for myself
Child and family health nurse support
Sleep support
Culturally specific or community-based supports
We were able to access the supports we needed
Not applicable
Prefer not to say
Other
16
If you had difficulty accessing or attending support, what made it difficult?Select all that apply. If this does not apply, select “Not applicable.”
Appointment times
Being away on swing
No childcare availability for other children
Distance or travel
Cost
Wait times
I did not know the support existed
I felt too exhausted or overwhelmed to organise it
I did not feel the support was for me or my family
Not applicable
Prefer not to say
Other
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What have you found hardest about working FIFO during pregnancy, birth or the first 12 months after birth?
18
Roughly what did FIFO cost your household financially through pregnancy, birth or the 12 months after birth?This could include paid childcare or domestic household support, travel, private fees you could not claim or income you gave up. A rough estimate is fine.
Under $500
$500 to $2,000
$2,000 to $5,000
$5,000 to $10,000
Over $10,000
Not sure
Prefer not to say
Not applicable
Other
19
During pregnancy, birth or the first year after birth, did your emotional wellbeing or mental health reach a point where you needed support beyond your usual care?Select all that apply,
Saw a GP about my mental health
Started medication
Was referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist
Presented to an emergency department
Was admitted to hospital
Contacted a crisis phone line
Used an employer-provided Employee Assistance Program
Sought support from a community or peer support group online (e.g. Facebook Group)
Sought support from a community or peer support group in-person (e.g. TFFP meet-up)
Thought about seeking support but did not
None of these
Prefer not to say
Other
20
If you experienced pregnancy or infant loss, what support was available to you as a FIFO family?
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Support Is Available

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

If this form brings up difficult feelings, you can pause at any time and contact one of the services below.

PANDA: 1300 726 306

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line: 1300 308 307

Miracle Babies Foundation: 1300 622 243

13YARN: 13 92 76
22
If you could change one thing about how the health system treats FIFO families in pregnancy and after birth, what would it be?* This field is required.
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May we quote you in our submission?* This field is required.Your choice. You can choose to be quoted by full name, by first name and region, anonymously or not at all. Because fewer people may have worked FIFO while pregnant, details in your story could make your workplace or role easier to recognise. If you choose to be quoted, we may contact you to confirm the wording and attribution before publication.
Yes, with my full name
Yes, with my first name and region
Yes, anonymously
No. Use my response to inform the submission but do not quote me.
24
May we contact you if we need to check something?* This field is required.
Yes
No
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Email addressYou will not be added to any mailing list - only contacted directly regarding this survey
example@example.com
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Before you submit* This field is required.Both boxes must be selected.
I am aged 18 or over.
I understand that Senate submissions may be published online and remain accessible for years.
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