The Interreg PATH Project
Perinatal Mental Health
Enabling women, families and healthcare professionals to prevent, diagnose and successfully manage mild/moderate perinatal mental illness via radical systemic change.
Project Official Website: path-perinatal.eu
About PATH
PATH will enable women, families, and healthcare professionals to prevent, diagnose, and successfully manage mild–moderate perinatal mental illness (PMI) via radical systemic change, developing an inclusive, holistic health structure – demand driven and co-created with existing patients and expectant/new parents.
The project will prepare parents pre-birth for their new role and help them avoid to PMI. Currently, feelings of being a failure as a parent lead to a reticence in seeking help: 58% of pregnant women/new mothers fear they would be judged. PATH’s multiple entry points, including anonymous online services, will allow women to access support in a way that best suits them. PATH will also improve the skills of healthcare professionals, equipping them to address PMI confidently and effectively. At present, 65% of UK midwives do not feel confident in providing satisfactory emotional support during the postnatal period. PATH will address this issue.
Total Project Budget: €8,537,957
European Regional Development Funding: €5,122,774
Project Duration: 3.5 years (Feb 2019—Sep 2022)
Initial research
We asked parents for their views of perinatal mental health support at focus groups, visits to local children’s centres, and through an online survey.* Themes from parents included the pressure to be perfect and a wish to reassure other parents that they were not alone.
In the survey, 45% of parents reported they felt too ashamed to ask for help. This is exactly why it is so important to raise awareness about perinatal mental health through the PATH project. We also visited a number of health professionals and children’s centres to hear their views. We have supported other partners in the development of employer resources by promoting focus groups. We would like to thank everyone who has shared their thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
*Survey conducted by Censuswide between 21st April and 28th April 2021 with 1,001 parents who have experienced perinatal mental illness (either self-diagnosed or professionally diagnosed) during the last ten years. The survey was conducted from a random sample of UK adults. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society, which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
PATH resources
In the following sections, you can find a summary of the free resources created through the PATH project.
Resources for parents:
Matrescence: The Process of Motherhood: This online workshop looks at the psychological changes and challenges of becoming a mother. Also being run at Lark Children’s Centre.
Looking After Your Mental Health as a Parent: This five-part workshop looks at perinatal mental health and coping strategies for managing your mental health. This series is being run with the support of Barnardo’s in Plymouth.
1:1 emotional support service: Available to expectant mothers and their partners.
Online families information hub: Created in partnership with many partners.
Resources for employers:
PATH Employer’s Hub: Contains downloadable resources to help employers support their staff, including ‘welcome back’ checklists, parental leave calendars, and other useful info.
Parental workplace wellbeing recommendations: Southampton City Council and the Institute of Health Visiting put together recommendations about how employers can support parents and expectant parents in their workforce.
Resources for healthcare professionals:
Training for primary care professionals: Together with Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, we have put together training for primary health care professionals. This looks at improving awareness and understanding of perinatal mental illness, consideration of how stigma is a barrier to disclosing and seeking help, and how to improve communication which can overcome the stigma. New dates for this training course will be announced soon.
PATH Professionals’ Hub: For information about perinatal mental illness and signposting resources, there is a hub for professionals.
