Peer support for women's perinatal mental health
NCT is pioneering an innovative peer support project to improve women’s mental health around the time of pregnancy. Funded by the Department of Health’s Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development fund, NCT is working with the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) to develop a safe, effective and sustainable model.
At least 1 in 10 women are affected by mental health issues during pregnancy or early parenthood. Conditions include antenatal/postnatal depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and postpartum psychosis. Many don’t get the support they need and suffer in silence, often until reaching crisis point.
The project builds upon NCT’s peer support training programme, and iHV’s established perinatal mental health champion training. Volunteers will be recruited and trained in three areas of England, and will go on to deliver one-to-one and group-based support in the community.
Trained perinatal mental health peer supporters have the potential to be real agents for change: raising awareness, promoting positive mental health in their communities, and supporting women experiencing perinatal mental illness to engage with specialist services.
The Parents in Mind project will be embedded within NCT branches, with a strong focus on local partnerships and diversity. We hope that the shared learning from this project will help break the stigma surrounding perinatal mental health, help women to access the support they need, and improve experiences and outcomes for women experiencing perinatal mental health illness.
NCT is involved with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and NCT's #beyondbabyblues campaign is raising awareness of perinatal mental health and calling for improved UK services.
Give loneliness a Big Push
These sponsored 5km buggy push events raise money to help combat loneliness among new parents. Funds raised are used to develop perinatal mental health awareness workshops and practical resources to be rolled out across the UK through our network of branches.
NCT believes that every new parent should have the support they need to become confident in caring for their baby. But many new mums and dads are not getting the emotional support they need, leaving them feeling lonely. Recent events in East London, Newham and Battersea were successes, and Beckenham & Borders are hoping to organise one in 2017.
Babble live! 2016
NCT’s annual event for volunteers, practioners and staff took place in October at Aston University. It provided an opportunity to find out more about NCT, learn skills for branch roles, and meet like-minded people. A 'volunteer fair' for attendees to meet and hear from inspiring volunteers from all over the UK who are doing fantastic things in their own branches. NCT’s AGM provided a chance to talk to executives and trustees.
The Quarterly Round-Up
NCT News In Brief
Erica Harris, mum to Emily (2)