Pregnant Then Screwed is delighted to announce that thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we are relaunching our Tribunal Mentoring Programme.

This funding means we can once again offer specialist, compassionate support to women and parents who are taking legal action after experiencing discrimination at work during pregnancy, maternity or return to work. At a time when many feel isolated, overwhelmed and unsure how to keep going, this support can be life changing.

Why this programme matters

Employment tribunals can be long, complex and emotionally exhausting. For many parents, the stress, fear and lack of understanding around the process can make it feel impossible to continue, even when they have a strong case.

Our Tribunal Mentoring Programme connects women and parents who are currently going through tribunal claims with trained volunteer mentors who have been there themselves. These mentors understand first hand the emotional toll of bringing a discrimination case and can offer something no one else can. They offer genuine peer support, reassurance and practical insight from lived experience.

Over a 12 week period of one to one remote mentoring, participants receive emotional support, encouragement and guidance to help them navigate the process and stay engaged in their case. Mentors do not provide legal advice, but they do provide understanding, solidarity and confidence.

An independent evaluation in 2025 found that mentoring helped women feel more confident communicating with their lawyers, better able to navigate the tribunal process and more likely to continue with their case. Many said it was the first time they felt truly understood.

What The National Lottery funding makes possible

Thanks to this funding, we will now be able to employ a part time coordinator for 12 months to oversee the relaunch of the Tribunal Mentoring Programme across England. This will allow us to recruit, train and support volunteer mentors, match mentors and mentees effectively, maintain clear safeguarding and monitoring processes, track impact and outcomes through our CRM system and build a strong foundation for long term funding.

Become a Tribunal Mentor

As part of the relaunch, recruitment for volunteer mentors has begun. We would love to hear from people with lived experience of employment tribunals related to pregnancy or maternity discrimination.

Find out more about becoming a Tribunal Mentor and apply here.

With thanks

We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and our other funders and donors. Your support is helping women and parents facing pregnancy and maternity discrimination feel less alone, more confident and better able to seek justice.