Tag Archives: MMHAconf2018

DJ Neev Spencer announces Perinatal Mental Health Awards 2018 at the Maternal Mental Health Conference   

DJ, broadcaster and campaigner Neev Spencer presented the 2nd annual perinatal mental health awards at this year’s Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) conference Diversity: Understanding and Reaching the Missing Families.

The Perinatal Mental Health Awards were announced at the MMHA conference on 6th September 2018 at Imperial College, London.

The awards are for services and individuals who show excellence in the categories of inclusivity; anti stigma; peer support; training and family focus.

Neev Spencer said:

“As a passionate campaigner for mental health, and with my own experience of postnatal depression, I am so excited to recognise outstanding practice in perinatal mental health.

“My own experience of postnatal depression has motivated me to raise awareness of maternal mental health and the reality that many mothers face in coping with perinatal mental health difficulties.

“Until I experienced postnatal depression, I never thought it was something that could affect me. Many mothers don’t talk about how they’re feeling and get the support they need early on. That’s a real shame because once we talk about it, it frees us to move on from the experience and to get the support that we need.  I am passionate about raising awareness of mental health and especially pleased to present these awards.”

The award winners are:

  1. Anti-stigma Award for Perinatal Mental Health Awareness-Raising

Winner: Have you seen that girl?

Highly commended: The Perinatal Mental Health Partnership

 

  1. Perinatal Peer Support Award.

Winner: Mothers for Mothers

Highly commended: Action on Postpartum Psychosis

 

  1. Perinatal Mental Health Education and Training Award

Winner: Mellow Parenting

Highly commended: Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

 

  1. Family-focused Award for engaging and involving the whole family in perinatal work, supporting family members’ mental health alongside the parent-infant relationship during the perinatal period.

Winner: Building Attachment and Bonds Service

Highly commended: Amanda Tamlyn, perinatal and infant mental health specialist, Sussex Community Foundation Trust

 

  1. Big Lottery Diversity and Inclusivity Award, for showing innovation in meeting the needs of a diverse range of families experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties.

Winner: MumsAid

Highly commended: Leeds Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service

 

 

 

 

Organising the Maternal Mental Health Alliance Conference 2018

by Katrina Jenkins, Project Manager Families, Children and Young People’s Programmes 

The Maternal Mental Health Alliance Conference 2018 is an annual event dedicated to stimulating debate and the sharing of ideas for good practice in the field of perinatal mental health. This exciting event is organised by the Mental Health Foundation on behalf of the  Maternal Mental Health Alliance (of which we are a member).

This is how I became involved in this national conference. As Project Manager in the Families, Children and Young People’s Programmes team at the Mental Health Foundation, my role includes the organisation of this year’s Conference.

Each year, the Maternal Mental Health Conference delivers a unique theme which corresponds to pertinent areas of interest in perinatal mental health.

I was fortunate to have been able to attend the conference last year, on the theme of Intergenerational mental health: working with mums and babies in perinatal mental health practice. Along with 250 other delegates, I gained a wealth of learning and deepened my understanding of how a whole-family approach can break the intergenerational cycle of mental health problems.

I am even more excited about the theme for this year’s Maternal Mental Health Conference – Diversity: Understanding and reaching the missing families. This topic is uniquely interesting as it offers an exceptional opportunity to explore important but seldom-heard voices in perinatal mental health. Continue reading Organising the Maternal Mental Health Alliance Conference 2018 →