The power of volunteers

摘要

Being a new parent can be tough for anyone and even more so when there are mental health needs. When a 2012 review of the integrated parent-infant mental health (PIMH) care pathway in Tameside and Glossop indicated that more support was required for parents at risk because of mild to moderate mental health needs (Lee and Mee, 2015), a partnership approach was adopted. Although there was professional support available for these parents, it was limited and some families are reluctant to seek help because of a perceived stigma. We decided we needed low-level individual support for parents to help them along the five ways to wellbeing (New Economic Foundation, 2008), to promote the development of positive parent-infant relationships, and to engage families with local children's centres and other community provisions. This type of proactive parental engagement and support would mean that specialist resources were used more appropriately while promoting long-term community support networks. So Home-Start Oldham, Stockport and Tameside (HOST), the Tameside and Glossop early attachment service (EAS) and Tameside health visiting service developed enhanced training for volunteers.