Posted on: 22 July 2024
In the past month, our teams organised events in Brent and Harrow to showcase CNWL’s perinatal mental health services and discuss ways to improve the perinatal experience for families and communities in these boroughs.
The events attracted over 150 attendees, including service users, partners and colleagues from maternity services and health visiting, voluntary organisations, as well as representatives from community and grass root organisations.
Participants shared a wide range of perspectives, highlighting the need for stronger collaboration between services that are involved in perinatal care.
Addressing stigma
One of the most pressing issues raised at the stakeholder events was the need to de-stigmatise mental health support.
Research shows that up to one in five new and expectant mothers experience perinatal mental illness. However, many find it difficult to come forward and ask for the help they need.
Brent and Harrow are also home to many communities, some of the most diverse boroughs in London. Almost half of the residents (45%) identify as Asian, and around 150 languages are used.
Speaking at the events, Krupali Avlani, Team Manager and Perinatal Mental Health Nurse, said: "There is a lot of stigma surrounding mental health issues and this is particularly pronounced among women of colour, who often lack trust in services”.
In a video, we heard voices of mothers and birthing people from various backgrounds outlining their experiences of accessing perinatal services, with some expressing fears of judgement and shame.
Many hesitated to come forward due to fears of being judged or perceived as inadequate parents. The narrative of what a good mother looks like, and the societal expectation to be joyful during motherhood can worsen these feelings, making it difficult to admit when you’re struggling.
Some said they were reluctant to talk about mental health because they feared their infant would be taken away from them. Another shared, "In my culture, we don't talk about personal problems outside the home. I was scared to be labelled a bad or crazy Mum."
Breaking barriers to care
Understanding the barriers that prevent women and birthing people from seeking help is essential. The impact of untreated mental health issues can be profound, affecting families and parent-infant relationships.
"We need your help to reach these people and communities to ensure they receive the support they need," Krupali urged attendees. "By developing networks and relationships within the community, we can get the message out there."
What do we offer?
Our Perinatal services offer support, treatment and advice to people experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy and post-birth. The team can support people up to two years after the baby is born, acknowledging the ongoing challenges they might face as they adjust to work and parenthood.
“A key part of our work focuses on anxiety and depression, but we also address more complex conditions such as bipolar disorder, personality disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Neurodivergent conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are part of our care spectrum, often underdiagnosed in women,” said Dr Shubhinder.
“Trauma is at the heart of what we see. Traumatic events or early childhood trauma – the people we see come from war torn countries, including refugees and asylum seekers,” he continued.
The service provides pre-birth planning meetings, for people with mental health needs who want to get pregnant. The teams also involve and support partners and other family members too.
“Psychological therapies work with partners and want to bring them in the room to think about their own mental health and how this can impact the relationship with the baby,” said Rachel Lohan, Psychologist.
CNWL has a large perinatal team in Brent and Harrow, made up of 26 professionals. Colleagues spoke about the tailored interventions they can develop, involving education, psychological therapies, occupational therapy, social work and peer support. This specialist care can be delivered at a local maternity unit, at home or in local community centres.
“We take in all aspects of a person’s life to guide them through this journey,” said Krupali. “Every contact is meaningful.
“Lived experience is priceless. Peer support workers can explain what the journey is like and connect with people from a human perspective, to show there is hope of recovery.”
Looking ahead
CNWL's perinatal services are dedicated to expanding their reach and improving access to the service.
At the events, participants joined group discussions where they were able to share ideas for improving the perinatal experience and reaching underserved communities.
Many acknowledged the need to focus on making services accessible to everyone, rather than assuming specific communities are difficult to reach.
Here is some of the feedback we received:
- Participants emphasised the importance of normalising and de-stigmatising mental health support in the perinatal period. They wanted to see more discussions about postnatal depression, anxiety and birth trauma included in antenatal classes, to help encourage people to seek support at the earliest stage.
- Many said that the term ‘perinatal’ can be confusing, and it’s often associated with maternity services and not mental health.
- They wanted to see more engagement and co-production with community leaders, faith communities and other local groups such as schools or colleges to disseminate information about perinatal mental health.
- Tailor communication to different audiences, considering language barriers, literacy levels, and cultural differences. This includes dispelling myths and providing clear, accessible information.
- Improve cultural awareness among service providers to better meet the needs of diverse communities.
"We hear from women all the time about how hard it is to access services," said Dr Shubhinder. "By fostering a supportive, open environment, we can help them overcome these barriers and thrive as mothers and individuals."
CommUNITY Barnet Plus
These events are part of broader initiatives aimed at enhancing collaboration between services involved in perinatal care.
Our services have also partnered with CommUNITY Barnet Plus (CB Plus) for a six-month project to support people in Brent and Harrow to access perinatal mental health support.
CB Plus will facilitate an engagement and outreach project, utilising social media and visiting local communities to create an open dialogue about perinatal mental health: raising awareness, promoting the available services and giving women and birthing people who may be struggling the confidence to reach out for support.
We also plan to run further stakeholder events throughout the year. Keep an eye out on our website for further updates.
For more information on CNWL's perinatal services or to refer someone, please visit this page or contact the service directly.