Our Mission
Athens Doula Network was formed to provide access to doula services for Athens area families and to provide professional support to its members. Our mission is:
- To expand awareness in the community of the services doulas provide and the positive effects doulas bring to the pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum experience.
- To provide educational opportunities, fellowship and support for its doula members.
Athens Doula Network Code of Ethics
I. Rules of Conduct for the Doula
- Maintain the highest standards of professional and personal conduct and integrity.
- Strive to become and remain proficient in the practice of professional functions utilizing continuing education, affiliation with related organizations and association with other labor support providers.
II. Ethical Responsibility to Clients
- The doula’s primary responsibility is to her client.
- The doula should make every effort to foster and facilitate maximum self-determination and sufficiency on the part of her client.
- The doula must respect her client’s privacy and hold in confidence all information obtained during the course of her professional service.
- The doula should provide her client with related information and referrals as appropriate.
- When the doula agrees to work with a client, she is obligated to do so to the best of her abilities, reliably according to the terms of the agreement.
III. Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues
- The doula must treat colleagues with courtesy, fairness, respect and good faith.
- The doula has the responsibility to relate to the clients of colleagues with complete professional consideration and respect.
IV. Ethical Responsibility to the Doula Profession
- The doula should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the profession.
V. Ethical Responsibility to Society
- The doula should promote the overall health of women and their babies, and whenever possible, that of their family, friends, and community as well.