Maternity in policing: the supervisor lottery, structural barriers, and insights for organisational reform

This study examines women's maternity experiences in UK policing across pregnancy, maternity leave, and return to work. Drawing on a large-scale mixed-methods survey (n = 4752), it highlights how organisational culture, rather than formal policy alone, shapes maternity journeys, wellbeing, and long-term career trajectories. Quantitative findings reveal declining support across the maternity stages, with only 25% of participants reporting adequate mental health support during pregnancy, and just 20% upon returning to work. Supervisor discretion, termed the ‘supervisor lottery’, emerged as a critical factor, with inconsistent communication, marginalisation of flexible working, and organisational silence during maternity leave undermining inclusion and engagement. Support experiences varied significantly across role, disability status, nationality, and length of service. Regression and correlation analyses confirmed that positive early-stage support predicted stronger perceptions of post-maternity work-life balance, mental health, and access to opportunities. However, flexible workers reported poorer access to professional development, suggesting persistent structural biases. Women experiencing weaker organisational support were more likely to report altered career aspirations, suggesting that disadvantage can accumulate across the maternity journey to reshape long-term outcomes. The study goes beyond identifying barriers to offer grounded, practitioner-focused recommendations to embed structural change. These include strengthening supervisory accountability, normalising flexible working, integrating perinatal mental health into occupational health provision, and formalising maternity-related communication pathways. A cultural reorientation is needed that views maternity not as a disruption, but as a routine, supported part of a sustainable policing career. Embedding these changes is vital to improving retention, organisational resilience, and the representation of women in UK policing.