KR HR & TRAINING NEWS ARTICLES

Maternal Mental Health Awareness week is a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about mental illness before during and after pregnancy, and signposting people to relevant support services.  The week is all about:

• Raising public and  professional awareness
• Advocating for women and families
• Changing attitudes
• Helping people access the information, care and support they need

Giving birth to a child is a life-changing event and can have lasting effects on parents – emotionally and physically. 

Mental health problems are the most common complication of pregnancy and the postnatal period (affecting at least 1 in 5) and yet little investment and attention is focused on mental health compared to perinatal physical conditions.

Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death six weeks to a year after birth. 

Examples of perinatal mental illness include antenatal depress, postnatal depress, anxiety, postpartum psychosis and PTSD relating to their birth experience.  If untreated these illnesses can have a devastating impact on women and their families.

Many women won’t seek help because they are fearful of being judged that they are a bad parent or they are unaware there is help available. 70% of women will hide or underplay maternal mental health difficulties. However it is really important for mums to know that they are not alone, can get the help they desperately need, and with the right support women do recover. 

How can the workplace support parents return back to work?

Returning to work can be a highly stressful and emotionally draining time when mental health issues can be more prevalent.  When the time comes for parents to return to work, the role employers can play in supporting maternal mental health in the workplace is important.  The way in which this is managed can be the difference between retaining or losing a key team member. 

Staying in touch.  Prior to maternity leave schedule in various check-ins and reassure them these are informal to see how they are and update them on changes within the workplace.  This will help ease their return-to-work worries. Employees may also like to sign up to receive company newsletters and vacancy bulletins to their home email address if they choose.

Keeping in Touch days. Employees on maternity leave can work for up to 10 “Keeping in Touch” Days which enables individuals to participate in training, meetings and events so they refresh their skills and social contacts and feel more confident about coming back to work.

Flexible working.  Often returning parents request flexible working, allowing some flexibility will see happier and more dedicated staff.

Training.  Equip managers to spot signs of team members struggling and offer vital support and signpost where appropriate.

Workplace culture.  Foster a workplace culture that views maternity leave as a brief interlude rather than a disruption and places value on the new skills that individuals learn through parenting

If you or someone you know is struggling and needs support, encourage them to talk about their issues with friends, colleagues and family or to seek professional help. 

More information and support about maternal mental health is available via the link: Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week | Maternal Mental Health Alliance