People without children start social groups due to moral stigma and social isolation

Rochelle Steven says she sought out a social group for women without children after becoming isolated while working from home. (Supplied: Rochelle Steven)

After a long period of loneliness, Rochelle Steven was at the point of "total despondency" when she typed "child-free women's social group" into an online search engine.

"Working from home and also being a woman in her late 30s with no kids — that's actually two of the really key mechanisms that women use to make friends," Ms Steven said.