Aberlour Children’s Charity was delighted to welcome the Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Maree Todd MSP to the new Perinatal Befriending Service at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh this week.
The new service, launched six weeks ago, offers vital emotional and befriending support to parents impacted by neonatal experiences. Aberlour’s Perinatal Befriending Service is for families living in the Lothians whose babies are born at 34 weeks’ gestation or later and have received neonatal care through the NICU.
Following a pilot in the neonatal unit last year, the charity concluded that whilst becoming a new parent can be an exciting and challenging time – parents whose babies have needed specialist neonatal care are at greater risk of increased anxiety and isolation. It is estimated that parents of babies with a neonatal experience are 40% more likely to develop perinatal mental health difficulties. Parents with neonatal babies born at 34 weeks’ or later were identified as a cohort requiring enhanced support.
Funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund, East Lothian Council, William Grant Foundation and the Charles Gordon Foundation has enabled Aberlour to establish the new Perinatal Befriending Service. It aims to connect with parents at the earliest opportunity both in hospital, community or home settings, building relationships to support parents and babies throughout pregnancy and in the first year of baby’s life.
Working in parallel with the charity’s NHS partners, the service offers in person support from a Perinatal Coordinator, a 1:1 match with a Perinatal Befriender and bespoke digital support all of which connects parents, improves emotional wellbeing, reduces isolation and supports positive relationships between parents and babies. It also recognises the significance of sustaining wider family relationships.
Perinatal befrienders are dedicated trained volunteers who are matched to parents and offer emotional listening support and help accessing services and activities in the community.
The launch of the service coincides with the launch of Aberlour’s Perinatal Connections app. As a result of listening to mums and gathering data, a gap was identified in mental health support services outside normal working hours for new and expectant mums. The app has been developed to offer a safe, facilitated space for new and expectant mothers supported by Aberlour to connect with each other and access information and resources whenever they wish.
Maree Todd, Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “Looking after our mental health is more important than ever before and we are committed to improving the mental health of mothers, fathers, carers and infants throughout pregnancy and during the postnatal period.
“I was pleased to visit Aberlour’s service and learn about their crucial support for families whose babies are receiving neonatal care. I am impressed by this service that offers vital emotional and befriending support to parents impacted by neonatal experiences.”
Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Assistant Director at Aberlour, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Maree Todd in her new capacity as Minister for Mental Wellbeing to the new Perinatal Befriending Service.
“It’s great to demonstrate how we are able to provide greater support with all the strands coming together – our Perinatal Co-ordinator, Perinatal Befrienders and the new app. Knowing that we can help families who have received neonatal care, in particular parents of babies born 34 weeks+ who really will benefit from the enhanced support is amazing”.
Megan, parent of Rosie, said: “The help I got from the service and the relationship with my befriender was unique.
“When I look back, I’m a totally different person now, when I have rough times, I can get through a day at a time”.
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