Support the mental health of parents
At least 20% of women and and 10% of men will experience a perinatal mental health problem during pregnancy and in the years following birth.
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1. Increase awareness
Suicide is the leading cause of maternal deaths and yet maternal mental health is often overlooked in the support packages provided by employers.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the NHS estimated that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men experienced mental illness during the perinatal period, but the prevalence has increased significantly since 2020. Despite this, it’s often not a focus for mental health support that employers may offer (e.g. mental health first aiders) and it often does not feature in parental leave policies.
The Maternal Mental Health Alliance has free toolkits where you can learn more.
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2. Update policies and procedures to ensure they include wellbeing checks during pregnancy, parental leave and on return to work
Parental leave planning should include pre-agreed communication preferences for during leave (frequency and method of wellbeing checks).
Wellbeing checks are important for employees who notify their employer of their partner’s pregnancy, or of adoption, as well as the parent giving birth. Partners can experience perinatal mental heath issues personally, but there are also challenges to be faced in supporting a partner at this time, which workplace support might help with.
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3. Train HR teams and managers
Managers play a key role in identifying parents and caregivers who might need additional support. Make sure parental mental health is covered in mental first aiding training and any other relevant management training.
Find out more here:
A perinatal mental health toolkit for supervisors and line managers.
Case study: Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester police realised it had a problem retaining female talent, and due to the nature of the work, they understood that mental health is a particularly pressing issue. The team there set about trying to understand the challenge better and introduced a range of innovations including line manager tool kits, revision to policies and improved provision of resources.
Anna Rickards, who has spearheaded the project within GMP commented: ‘The longevity of service for many, the disproportionate retention challenges for female officers and the over prevalence of trauma make for a compelling case to engage in improving support for those in the perinatal period. Ensuring officers and staff are supported to be fit for duty both physically and mentally is not just ethical but also operationally necessary’.
Why this matters
By providing support and resources, alongside flexibility and choice, employers will not only be boosting the wellbeing and productivity of their colleagues, they will also be contributing to a society which is better positioned to take on the challenges of the future.
Support working parents and caregiversRelated actions
