We are delighted to share that Home-Start Glasgow North & North Lanarkshire (HSGNNL) has been awarded over £205,000 to maintain and enhance our support for families through the perinatal period.
The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund was launched by the Scottish Government, designed to target mental health support for mothers, babies and wider families. HSGNNL is one of only fifteen organisations across Scotland to receive an award from this fund for our work.
Our Perinatal Support Service has been established for many years, incorporating direct support in family homes, peer support groups and, since the beginning of 2020, the Cafe Stork model which transferred to us from the NHS. Our service has been shown to provide practical parenting support, improve mental wellbeing and improve infant outcomes.
Over the next three years, we will use this fund to secure our services, enhance our support for the whole family – including a focus on dads and infant mental health – and make further developments for digital and remote support. We will also provide specialist training for more of our staff and volunteers, allowing us the opportunity to be there when families need us most, through pregnancy, birth and also through the first and very important 1001 days.
Speaking of the award, Nikki O’Hara said “The team at HSGNNL feel proud and privileged to have received this funding from the Scottish Government. We have all worked hard to develop this work in consultation with many others including parents themselves, NHS and Health Improvement colleagues, those with lived experience, other third sector partners and Maternal Mental Health Scotland. We are passionate and committed to improving and developing the support available to families affected or at risk of perinatal and infant mental health issues and know from experience the benefits social and peer support can make to parents and their babies at this crucial time.”
Alan Webb, Chair of HSGNNL, said “This investment by the Scottish Goverment and the endorsement of our proposal by the assessing panel puts great confidence in our Home-Start team and the model of work they have created to support families. We know that help through pregnancy and the first year can make such a difference and our support is able to extend to the important first 1001 days of baby’s life and right through the early years. COVID lockdown has added further complications and pressure in an already difficult period, as shown by the recent Babies in Lockdown report from Home-Start and partners. We are determined to play our part in bringing essential support for the whole family, whenever it is needed.”