Client intake and communication

The goals of intake

Use intake to understand fit, preferences and practical arrangements. Ask what support the family wants, explain what you offer and check whether your availability matches their plans. You do not need their whole personal history to begin that conversation.

Separate an inquiry from onboarding. At inquiry stage, collect enough information to discuss the service and availability. After the family agrees to work with you, request the details needed to organize the booked support.

Explain why you ask a question and how you will use the answer. Let clients know when they can discuss something privately instead of entering it into a form. Remove questions that do not help you provide the agreed service.

Questions worth asking early

Ask whether the family is seeking birth support, postpartum visits or another service you actually offer. Discuss timing, location, preferred contact method and who they want involved. Check travel and availability before moving into detailed planning.

Ask what helps them feel listened to and what they want from a support person. They might prefer quiet company, direct explanations or room to finish a thought. Invite them to describe what does not feel helpful too.

Ask how they want partners, relatives or other support people included. Check whom you may contact and what information the client wants shared. Do not assume every person named in a conversation has permission to receive updates.

Use the free intake checklist to organize your questions before a conversation. Adapt it to your service and remove anything you do not need. Keep space for the client's own questions rather than treating intake as a form to finish as quickly as possible.

Preferences documents you share

Offer a simple preferences document the client can update. Include communication preferences, who they want involved and the practical support they welcome. Ask how they would like to discuss a change during a visit or at the birth.

Keep the document distinct from medical decisions and clinical records. Your role is to organize preferences relevant to your support, not to choose care or interpret medical information. Encourage the client to discuss care questions with their healthcare provider.

Ask which parts may be shared with a backup doula and how the client can update them. Record the latest version where the attending doula can find it. Confirm important changes directly rather than assuming everyone has read a new attachment.

When several documents repeat the same information, decide which one holds the current version. Link or refer to that record within your own system instead of copying private details into every message. This gives you a clearer way to keep arrangements current.

A calm communication cadence

Explain the usual points of contact: onboarding, preparation conversations, scheduling updates and follow-up. Agree how clients send routine questions and when they can expect a response. Put those expectations in the welcome information and service agreement.

For birth support, distinguish routine messages from requests for attendance during the on-call window. Give the client clear instructions for reaching you and what to do if the first contact method fails. Check that their chosen support person can find the instructions too.

For visits, explain how dates are confirmed and how either person reports a delay or requests a change. Send a concise confirmation with the agreed logistics. Avoid promising that every requested change will be possible before checking your calendar.

If a conversation becomes scattered across channels, summarize the agreed next step in one place. Ask the client to confirm any service change that needs agreement. Keep the summary focused on logistics and decisions rather than repeating sensitive personal details.

Documenting agreements without oversharing

Record what you agreed, when it changed and what action is needed. Use neutral descriptions rather than judgments about the client or family. Keep service records relevant to the support you are providing.

Choose storage with clear access permissions and decide who needs to see each record. Ask about privacy and recordkeeping requirements for your location with an appropriate adviser. Write down how you will handle corrections, sharing requests and the end of the client relationship.

Before sending information to a partner, check the recipient and the client's permission. Share the details needed for the task rather than forwarding the entire conversation. Keep private client information out of informal peer discussions.

Referring out when needs are outside scope

DONA publishes Standards of Practice and Codes of Ethics describing the boundaries of birth and postpartum doula work. ¹ Use the relevant standards when you explain your scope of practice. Make the boundary understandable in your service description and intake conversation.

When a request is outside your role, acknowledge what the client is asking for and explain what you can do instead. You can help them organize a question or identify the kind of professional to contact. Do not answer a care question merely because you want to keep the conversation moving.

Ask permission before making an introduction or sharing personal information. Record the practical next step without copying unnecessary details into the file. Follow up on whether the client needs help with arrangements, not on making decisions for them.

Illustrative example

Imagine a family wants postpartum visits but their inquiry focuses on feeding questions and support from relatives. Begin by asking which practical tasks and conversations they want help with at home. Explain your service boundaries and ask how they want relatives included.

Agree the visit arrangements and record the family's communication preferences. If a care question comes up, direct it to their healthcare provider rather than adding an answer to the intake form. Send a brief summary of the support you have agreed and invite corrections.

Your intake checklist

Review the checklist before onboarding each client. Ask only for information that serves the agreed support, and leave room for updates. Confirm that the family knows whom to contact and how to request a change.

• Confirm service fit, timing, location and travel.
• Ask about support preferences and chosen support people.
• Explain routine contact and attendance instructions.
• Record included services and any agreed changes.
• Confirm permission for backup information sharing.
• Keep referral boundaries and record access clear.