Blog

18.11.2022

Putting Families at the Centre

On Friday 4^th November, the Inspiring Scotland Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) team, supported the Scottish Government Perinatal and Early Years Mental Health Policy team with hosting the online event: Families at the Centre.

With over 250 attendees, from across the perinatal and infant mental health sector, the event offered a chance to bring everyone together and highlight just some of the work that has been achieved throughout the lifespan of the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board and wider remit. It is a passionate and committed sector, and it was a privilege to bring people together to share the inspiring work that has been carried out.

Couldn’t make the event? Here’s what you missed:

• Dr Roch Cantwell from the Perinatal Mental Health Network launched the new Scottish Perinatal Mental Health Care Pathways videos. These videos aim to help women, their infants and families to access the most appropriate specialist perinatal and infant mental health care, should they require it.
• Dr Hannah Guzinska (Home -Start Scotland), Leanne Jack and Natalie Shinwari (Home-Start East Highland) shared the important and far-reaching work of Home-Start Scotland. You can contact Hannah by email: hguzinska_assoc@home-start.org.uk. There is also lots of information on the Home-Start Scotland website.
• Christina Smiley shared the incredible work of CrossReach Counselling Scotland. CrossReach currently delivers perinatal counselling services across three locations: Bluebell Perinatal Service based in central Glasgow, Perinatal East based in central Edinburgh and Moray Perinatal based in Buckie. Clients are parents expecting a baby or with a child under three, facing perinatal mental health challenges.

To find out more about the Glasgow service email: bluebell@crossreach.org.uk; to contact the Moray service email: counselling@crossreach.org.uk; and to contact the Edinburgh based service email: pnd@crossreach.org.uk

If you are interested in partnering with CrossReach to develop a perinatal hub in your area, please get in touch with Christina Smiley, on Christina.Smiley@CrossReach.org.uk  or on mob: 07388990187

• Leanne from Inspiring Scotland shared the Directory of Perinatal Services which is a list of organisations across Scotland who currently offer perinatal and infant mental health support. To add or amend your service email us: PIMHenquiries@inspiringscotland.org
• Kat Masterson and Rach Barlee, Participation Officers from Parent and Infant Mental Health Scotland spoke via video about the importance of lived experience at the centre of services. If you would like more information about their work, they are both happy to be contacted: Kathryn.Masterson@maternalmentalhealthscotland.org.uk; rach.barlee@pimhs.org.uk
• Louise Christie from the Scottish Recovery Network shared the Peer Recovery Hub, which has lots of free peer support resources. You can hear more information about peer support and what it means to individuals by exploring their Peer Support and Me webpage.  Scottish Recovery Network are keen to hear from peer support organisations across Scotland to help to build a new perinatal mental health peer support resource. If you have any questions or would like to be involved, you can get in touch by emailing info@scottishrecovery.net
• Kaylie Allen from Inspiring Scotland and Rosie Kennedy from Nurture the Borders, shared with us the first look at the Peer Support Evaluation toolkit. The toolkit has been designed to help peer support services to evaluate their services. If you offer peer support and would be interested in reviewing the toolkit in more detail and giving your feedback, please email: PIMHenquiries@inspiringscotland.org.uk
• Evaluation Support Scotland helped to develop this evaluation toolkit; they work with third sector organisations to help with measuring and reporting on their impact. They have lots of free resources available on their
• Dr Anne McFadyen and Vicky Armstrong discussed the importance of the voice of the infant and how to take account of babies point of view. They have recommended some links that you may be interested in: The UNCRC’s paper on early years; WAIMH Position Paper on the Rights of Infants; and the Parent Club web page ‘Guide to Wellbeing for Wee Ones’ . Both Anne and Vicky are happy to be contacted should you want to get in touch: Anne.Mcfadyen@gov.scot and v.g.armstrong@dundee.ac.uk

A huge thank you to all the speakers that gave up their time to share their work and thank you to everyone who attended the Families at the Centre Event.

If you would like to share how you keep families at the centre of your work, we would love to hear from you.  Please tag us on twitter @PIMHFund and use the hashtag #FamiliesAtTheCentre