Charlotte Wilson, perinatal family support co-ordinator, Family Action

What do you do?

Vulnerable women in Southwark are referred to us by social services and midwives, and I help to assess their needs and tell them about the perinatal family support project. It's about early intervention, mental health and wellbeing. I also recruit, supervise and train befrienders for the women I work with. They are usually mothers or grandmothers who visit the women and provide them with phone support.

How do you make a difference?

Women are particularly vulnerable during the perinatal period, which is just before and after childbirth. They can have issues with depression and coming to terms with the pregnancy. We want to promote a healthy attachment to the baby and reduce a woman's stress levels before the baby is born. If a woman has high stress levels, then the baby is born with its stress switch on high. It helps if they have someone to talk to.