1. What can make a difference when experiencing perinatal mental illness
Aberlour Perinatal Befriending Support
Forth Valley

2. Aberlour Perinatal Befriending Support
SERVICE AIMS:
Improve parents’ mental health and well-being
Support positive relationships between parents and their babies
Reduce social isolation for families
Increase parents’ self confidence by working with volunteer befrienders

3. ROLE OF PERINATAL COORDINATORS
Training the volunteer befrienders
Matching befrienders with families
Review of family situation to determine whether befriending is an appropriate intervention
Ongoing review and monitoring of the families being supported
Undertaking assessment of mental health and well-being of mother using the following tools:

4. Measuring the progress you make
OUTCOME SCALES
Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS)
Maternal Social Support Index (MSSI)
Prenatal Attachment Inventory
My Baby
( Mothers Object Relations Scale – MORS)
General Self Efficacy
Aberlour Perinatal
Befriending Support
Perinatal
Outcomes Booklet
Measuring the progress you make

5. Top 10 Tips to Good Mental Health
1. Be active – healthy body, healthy food and healthy mind
2. Nature is nurture – get outside and enjoy the sunshine
3. Try something new – take an interest in a new hobby, course or activity
4. It’s good to talk – pick up the phone
5. Believe in yourself – be proud of who you are and what you’re good at
6. Make time for yourself – “me time”
7. Get your 40 winks – a good night’s sleep helps emotional wellbeing
8. Reflect – remember something you’re proud of having achieved today
9. Don’t take on the world in a day – small steps, small targets
10. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – talking about your feelings is part of staying healthy

7. VOLUNTEER BEFRIENDERS TRAINING
7 x 3 hours sessions
Agenda includes:-
Risk factors & conditions associated with Perinatal Mental Illness
Getting it Right For Every Child
Protection of Children, young people & vulnerable groups
Domestic Abuse and its potential impact on well-being
Attachment Theory, its origins and how to promote secure attachments
The development of a baby’s brain
Key role of volunteer befriender
Aberlour Induction

8. BEFRIENDERS’ ONGOING SUPPORT
1:1 interview after attending training
Continuous monitoring after each Befriending session
8 weekly 1:1 social care supervision
3 monthly group supervision
Additional training e.g. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Paediatric First Aid, Babies in Mind

9. ROLE OF THE BEFRIENDER
Home visits offering emotional and practical support
Supporting parents to access local services e.g. health appointments, shops, parks etc.
Reduce social isolation
Use of listening skills: not to give advice
Maintain contact with the Coordinators
Record a session note after each visit with a parent
Commit to 3 hours per week for one year.
“My befriender really helped me and all she did was listen. Its amazing how speaking aloud to someone can help sort things that are so muddled.”

10. MY LIVED EXPERIENCE Hazel Robertson
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

11. Life Changes: Life experiences during and after postpartum depression
Support network available
Next pregnancy
Aberlour
Positive outcomes
Life Changes:
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12. Postpartum Depression: The Struggle
Help, Help, Help: No support.
Left to struggle.
Lack of knowledge/understanding what needs where needing to be met.
Medication.
Active listening.
Slept through life.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

13. Isolation after pregnancy
Lack of support
Stuck in routine
Reducing stress levels
Clean, clean, clean
Services
What's important
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14. New Beginnings Health visitor referral
Anxious, panicked : oh no not another service
Will I be judged?
Will it help?
1st Meeting
Meeting befriender
Progress
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15. Where I am now ..... Confident Better attachment with children
Empowered
Have a purpose
Living life
Awake
Achieving
Where I am now .....
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16. How Aberlour Helped Motivation A friend Trust Non judgemental
A good listener
Empowerment
Confidence
Top Ten Tips