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Stephanie Joy Phillips

Stephanie Joy Phillips

Founder of World Childless Week.

Stephanie spent a large part of her twenties in an abusive relationship so took the contraceptive pill to prevent a child being born into that situation. In her early thirties she met her husband to be but they didn't try to conceive until nearing forty. At the age of 39 she was told by an unsympathetic doctor "if he manages to get you pregnant it is highly unlikely you'll carry full term". She knew in that moment, she would never be a mum.

In 2016 Stephanie Joy Phillips founded Childless Path To Acceptance, a free support group on Facebook that welcomes anyone who is childless by circumstance, infertility, chance or tough choices.

In 2017 after realising there was no national recognition of the childless community Stephanie had an idea for a global awareness week. She mentioned her idea to several childless friends who encouraged her to pursue her idea. Inspired by their enthusiasm, she spoke to the childless not by choice community who rallied round and stepped forward to offer their support and participation. Six weeks later World Childless Week went live for the first time. In 2026 World Childless Week will be celebrating ten years of giving the childless community a platform where they can find their voice and share their stories with confidence.

Stephanie lives in Worcestershire with her husband and two rescue cats, Storm and Tea-Cup. She enjoys gardening, arts and crafts, a good book, dining out and relaxing in front of the television with a puzzle book and one of her two cats snuggled up beside her.

Being childless not by choice (cnbc) is the taboo subject of an unrecognised minority. World Childless Week is there to help the cnbc: validate their emotions, find support, build friendships, realise their own worth and rediscover the confidence to speak out and celebrate themselves as a unique individual. 

Alongside supporting the childless community World Childless Week hopes to reach out and work towards building bridges between the childless, childfree and parents; raising empathy and removing the stigma of disenfranchised grief.  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Contact WCW team

BBC Midlands Today, January 2024: Stephanie speaking out about the impact of receiving the ‘Together’ Make A Difference Award from BBC Hereford and Worcester, in 2023

World Childless Week Media

World Childless Week Ambassadors

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