Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems – such as depression, anxiety and postpartum psychosis – occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. One in four women and birthing people are affected (1).
As well as potentially damaging a mother or birthing person’s wellbeing and self-esteem, PMH difficulties can also affect their capacity to provide nurturing, sensitive care to babies, which can impact a child’s development.
Despite how pervasive and harmful PMH problems can be, many parents struggle to access timely support. This is particularly true for families from marginalised groups including, for example, those living in poverty, poor housing or facing racism. At Anna Freud – a mental health charity for children, young people and families – we work with family hubs and early years services to develop strategies to improve perinatal mental health care, with a focus on reducing inequalities in access to services and preventing future mental ill health in children and young people.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
