News and updates from today's conference focusing on improving perinatal mental health services. Presentations from expert speakers at local and national level.
Chair's Welcome & Introduction: What it feels like to be in crisis and what helped me to keep on living: personal messages to inspire others'
Elaine Coote
Author, Advocate and Speaker on perinatal mental health with lived experience
• a personal perspective
• what it feels like as a new mum to be in crisis
• what inspired me to keep on living
• supporting new mums during the Covid-19 pandemic
On her experience of being a new mum in crisis, Elaine said "What inspired me to keep living?- It was caring people, kind nurses who gave me the hope to keep on"
Elaine also said "Talking therapies really helped, learning how to be kinder to myself and to realise its ok not to be ok".
An update from 1001 Days
Matthew Dodd
Head of Policy and Public Affairs
National Children’s Bureau
• An update on Key policy changes relating to very young children including START FOR LIFE, FAMILY HUBS & NHS Reform
On Integrated care systems Matthew said " Children must be a priortiy with ICS's. There will be bespoke guidance for ICS's on meeting the needs of babies, children and young people".
Ensuring equality in access and support, and enhancing engagement with diverse communities
Carol King-Stephen
Equality Diversity and Inclusion Lead Midwife
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Heather McHugh
Equality Diversity and Inlusion Lead Midwife
Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
• focusing on prevention and positive mental health and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy
• ensuring equality and enhancing engagement with diverse communities
• our experience
Heather talked about Positive Mental Health during pregnancy, some of the focus's being lifestyle, diet and sleep, Heather said "Sleep has a huge impact on how you feel, we try to encourage healthy sleeping habits".
Carol talked about trust, she said "We need to build trust with our Mum's so they know they can get support from us"
Heather added "The way you ask somebody a question makes all the difference, as soon as the person knows you are understanding them, they will talk to you and trust that you really care".
Language and Communication with Young Families and Mental Health Challenges
Laura Seebohm
CEO
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
• focusing on prevention and positive mental health and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy
• increasing access to treatment for women with common mental health issues
• the role of universal services such as health visiting and maternity in perinatal mental health care
• developing a model of service delivery in which mental and physical health care are integrated into the work of maternity and health visiting services
Laura explained that "The Maternal Mental Health Alliance are committed to getting maternal mental health seen as a matter of maternity safety, we are working with the goverment and decision makers to get this recognised"
Supporting Organisations
