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This page provides information on Infant, Early Years, and Maternal Mental Health including resources, useful reading, and shares some of the work happening across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

What is Infant, Early Years, and Maternal Mental Health?
  • Perinatal Mental Health refers to mental health during pregnancy and up to one year after the baby is born. During this period, new and expectant parents (mums, dads, co-parents, partners) can experience issues with their mental health. This includes mental illness existing before pregnancy, as well as illnesses that develop for the first time, or are made worse in the perinatal period. These illnesses can be mild, moderate, or severe, requiring different kinds of care or treatment. The stigma and fear associated with perinatal mental health can leave those affected feeling inadequate as a parent, isolated and vulnerable, and can delay getting help, treatment, and recovery.
  • Infant Mental Health is the social, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing and development of children in the earliest years of life. It is an infant’s capacity to form close relationships; experience, regulate, and express emotions; and to explore their environment and learn. Infants achieve this through safe, nurturing, and secure relationships.

    The perinatal period can be a vulnerable time for all women and their families. However, those with protected characteristics, including women of colour, LGBTQ+ and young parents, are at greater risk of developing mental health problems. Their vulnerability is made worse due to additional factors of culture and ethnicity, stigma attached to mental health, language barriers, poverty, discrimination, lack of awareness of supports available, and many more.

    It is crucial that families are supported to have positive mental health and wellbeing during the perinatal period. Untreated perinatal mental health problems are a major public health concern and can have long-term impacts on the physical and mental health outcomes of mothers, babies, partners, and families.
Why should we focus on Infant, Early Years, and Maternal Mental Health?

Becoming a parent is often portrayed as a joyous time, however for many the reality is very different with reports showing that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men and partners are affected by mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year after birth. The stigma and fear associated with perinatal mental health can leave those affected feeling inadequate as a parent, isolated, and vulnerable. It can impede or delay getting help, treatment, and recovery.

Whilst the perinatal period can be a vulnerable time for all women and their families, research highlights that those with protected characteristics including women of colour, LGBTQ and young parents are at greater risk of developing mental health problems. Their vulnerability is further intensified due to additional factors of culture and ethnicity, stigma attached to mental health, language barriers, poverty, discrimination, lack of awareness of supports available and many more.

Untreated perinatal mental health problems present a major public health concern and can have long-term impacts on the physical and mental health outcomes of mothers, babies, partners, and families. It is crucial that families are supported to have positive mental health and wellbeing during the perinatal period.

Exploring the experiences of the NHSGGC Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network in engaging with Black and Ethnic Minority women and their families during the perinatal period to support mental health and wellbeing. Read the report here along with a thematic analysis comparing the findings to other research papers.

“We need to look below the surface”: an infographic to illustrate the strength and resilience of women of colour despite the significant challenges and barriers they face during the perinatal period and beyond.

Our infographic captures what black women are telling us they need to support their maternity care journey.

How you can get involved in supporting Infant, Early Years, and Maternal Mental Health

The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Mental Health Improvement Team have established a Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network to help deliver on the Infant and Maternal Mental Health agenda. The network is made up of partners from Health Improvement, Third Sector, Clinical Services, Social Work, Education, Health Visiting and many more.

The network meets monthly to keep up to date on national and board developments, work together to translate national policy into local meaningful actions, share good practice and hear from different services. The service spotlight section is an opportunity for partners and organisations to provide an overview of the services and supports they provide. If you would like to attend one of the meetings to promote your service please contact ggc.mhead@nhs.scot*.

*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS24 on 111.

Watch our short clip below to find out more about the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network and the work we do.

2024: Our Network’s Year in Numbers.

The Early Years Mental Health Improvement Framework

This framework has been created as a planning tool to help support those working with babies and young children who are under 5 and their parents/carers to plan and deliver mental health improvement activities. It outlines the range of themes that evidence shows promotes positive mental health in the early years and highlights factors that both threaten and support good mental health.

Supporting materials

Resources

Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Good Practice Guide

A resource to support Health Care Workers, Third Sector Partners, and any community organisations that are in contact with, supporting and/or working with new and expectant parents. It is underpinned the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act (2010).

Supporting Parents’ Mental Health during the Perinatal Period

The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Prevention and Early Intervention Guide helps staff have conversations with parents about their mental health during the perinatal period and signpost to supports appropriate to their needs to prevent a mental health crisis from developing. You can order free from the Public Health Resource directory.

Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge

The Scottish Government has published the Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge. Co-produced by a short-life working group, on behalf of the Infant Mental Health Implementation and Advisory Group, which was part of the Scottish Government’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board, the new guidelines provide direction on how to take account of infants’ views and rights in all encounters.

The guidelines offer suggestions on how those who work with babies and very young children can notice, facilitate and share the infant’s feelings, ideas and preferences that they communicate through their gaze, body language and vocalisations. The Infant Pledge states clearly what babies and very young children should expect from those around them, and can be printed off as a poster.

Maws – Our Journey with Perinatal Mental Health

This is an educational film that has been produced to help those suffering from Perinatal Health Conditions – mother’s experiences to help other mothers.

Useful Reading

We have gathered a range of different papers and reports which will provide you with helpful background reading into infant and maternal mental health.

This page provides information about mental health stigma and discrimination, including information about how you can get involved to help tackle it, helpful resources, and further reading.

What is mental health stigma and discrimination?

Mental health problems can be challenging for people, but it can be made worse by having to deal with stigma and discrimination from others, or from ourselves.

Stigma is “a social process that involves the damaging labelling, stereotyping, and exclusion of individuals or groups based on
perceived differences that deviate from dominant social norms”.

Discrimination is “a key part of stigma. It is the inequitable or prejudicial treatment of individuals or groups based on their
stigmatised identities. It can be intentional (explicit prejudice) and unintentional (underlying in organisations and systems)”.

Why is mental health stigma and discrimination an issue we should focus on?

According to research by See Me, Scotland’s national anti-stigma programme:

  • More than two-thirds (71%) of people with mental health problems in Scotland experience stigma and discrimination
  • More than nine in 10 people with experience of a mental illness say that they have faced stigma in relationships with family and friends
  • 1 in 3 young people in every classroom will experience a mental health problem, and 3 in 4 say that they fear the reaction of their friends.

The impact of stigma and discrimination can be wide-ranging, including making someone’s mental health problems worse and stopping them from getting support. That’s why it’s so important we all play our part to challenge stigma and discrimination.

How you can get involved to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination

Join See Me’s movement

There are lots of ways that you can get involved to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. You can join thousands of people across Scotland by taking part in See Me’s movement for change. Visit See Me’s website to get all the tools and resources you might need to take action – we have listed some of them below in the ‘Resources’ section too.

Get inspired by participants in our Anti-Stigma Fund

You could also get inspiration from others who are doing great work in this area. For several years, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds Network ran an Anti-Stigma Fund, inviting creative bids from organisations to help address some of the issues surrounding mental health stigma and discrimination. To find out more about some of the projects that received funding, you can read our Glasgow City-Based Case Study, or have a look through some of the other projects detailed below:

Youth Inspired – Mental Health Stigma Amongst Young People

This video was funded by the Healthy Minds Network’s Anti-Stigma Fund. It was co-produced by a group of young people who worked with Youth Inspired, formerly Youth Interventions, and a professional videographer to show the mental health stigma that they have faced.

Mental Health Stigma and Chronic Conditions

The animation below was funded by the Healthy Minds Network’s Anti-Stigma Fund. It was developed by the Teapot Trust and a group of young people with chronic physical conditions to show what it’s like to have a chronic physical health condition, and how it can impact someone’s mental health.

Helpful Resources

We have listed below a range of resources that will help you tackle mental health stigma and discrimination across the life course:

General

Workplace

  • “Let’s Chat” tool: A tool from See Me that provides guidance, tips, and scenarios for line managers and supervisors to start open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace.

Perinatal and Infant

  • Perinatal and Infant Good Practice Guide: A resource to support Health Care Workers, Third Sector Partners, and any community organisations that are in contact with, supporting and/or working with new and expectant parents. It is underpinned by the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act (2010).

Young people

  • “What’s on your Mind?”: A pack to support teachers and young people to learn about mental health and develop the skills and confidence to tackle stigma and discrimination in school and the wider community.
  • FeelsFM: An emoji jukebox that can be used to host conversations with young people, to get their views on mental health and how to tackle stigma.
Further Reading

We have gathered a range of different papers and reports which will provide you with helpful background reading into Anti-stigma and discrimination.

Please email the team at ggc.mhead@nhs.scot* with any questions about Anti-stigma and Discrimination.

*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on 111.

Training and building the capacity of our workforce to promote positive mental health and wellbeing is a key priority at a local and national level (Mental Health Strategy, 2017-2027). We must therefore ensure staff working with people across Greater Glasgow and Clyde are confident and equipped to support and promote positive mental health and wellbeing and respond to those in distress.

This page shares information on mental health training and capacity-building opportunities available across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Building Mental Health Improvement Capacity across Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Running Your Own Mental Health Session

Healthy Minds

Healthy Minds is an awareness-raising resource that can be used by anyone to promote basic awareness and understanding of mental health. The sessions cover a variety of topics that can impact people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Materials include a PowerPoint presentation, speaker notes, and resources. You don’t need previous experience in training to deliver a session. They are completely free to download and adapt to suit your purposes: Healthy Minds Resource – NHSGGC.

Mental Health Improvement Training Pathway

The Mental Health Improvement, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Training Pathway is a tool to encourage staff to progressively build their knowledge and skills relevant to their role and responsibilities in the area of mental health. The resource is not a training calendar but rather a reference and guidance document to help individuals, teams, and organisations explore potential training opportunities that are available.

Self-Directed Learning

There is a range of free online learning opportunities relating to Mental Health that cut across the life course: Online Learning Resources Update – Mental Health – NHSGGC

Online Harms Module: A free e-learning module that helps staff gain knowledge and resources around online safety concerns and understand how they can assist those they support in dealing with these issues and minimising their potential harm. Available via Turas for anyone with an email address. Please note that a Turas account is required, you can create an account here.

Mental Health Improvement Training and Capacity Building Calendar

There are no training opportunities planned for the foreseeable future.

About us

In the Mental Health Improvement Team, we believe that everyone has the right to live with good mental health and wellbeing, regardless of who they are and where they come from.

We collaborate with our colleagues and partners across Greater Glasgow and Clyde to create the conditions that enable people and communities to thrive. This includes working to promote mental health, prevent future mental health problems, and support recovery. We are also part of the wider Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs Health Improvement team.

Our approach spans the life course, from infant and maternal health through to older adults, and is grounded in a commitment to:

  • Tackling poverty
  • Adddressing disadvantage and inequalities
  • Eliminating discrimination
  • Promoting and protecting human rights

Team Members

Trevor Lakey –
Health Improvement & Inequalities Manager – Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs
Heather Sloan –
Health Improvement Lead (Mental Health)
Greg Usrey –
Health Improvement Lead (Mental Health)
Michelle Guthrie –
Health Improvement Senior (Mental Health)
Laura Hills –
Health Improvement Senior (Mental Health / Digital)
Owen Breen –
Senior Business Support Assistant
Donald Boyle –
Business Support Assistant

Headline Reports

Below you will find six-month snapshots of our work:

Team Headline Reports

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Team Headline Report – December 2021
1395 downloads2.47 MB
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Team Headline Report – July 2021
2031 downloads934.60 KB
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Team Headline Report – July 2020
2032 downloads910.52 KB

Get in touch

If you have any questions about our team or our work, please get in touch with us by emailing ggc.mhead@nhs.scot.

This information is specifically aimed at pharmacists and their staff who work in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area but will be helpful to all who are active in public health improvement and health protection.   It provides information on health improvement and health protection topics which relate to community pharmacy practice and today’s public health agendas, giving detailed advice and contacts useful in delivering these agendas.

Please click on any menu item for more information.

We are very keen to keep improving and expanding the website. Please direct all helpful suggestions or comments to the website editor by emailing the Public Health Pharmacy mailbox to: ggc.pharmacypublichealth@nhs.scot

Pharmacy Public Health Improvement
Pharmacy Health Protection and Screening
Medicines Planning

PH Hosted Resource – Keeping fit and active (other language versions)

PH Hosted Resources – Want to stop smoking when you are pregnant? (English language version)

PH Hosted Resources – Want to stop smoking when you are pregnant? (Alternative language versions)

This suite of leaflets has been put together in response to concerns expressed by GPs that there was a lack of brief information readily available to them to pass on to people with dementia (or, if more appropriate, someone who is caring for a person with dementia).

The leaflets have been prepared by colleagues at Alzheimer Scotland, in conjunction with the Scottish Dementia Working Group. 

The aim of the leaflets is to provide people with dementia, and / or a person who cares for them, with useful information on a range of topics that can be provided at an appropriate time for the person. Most are addressed to people with dementia, thought they will all be of relevance to carers, too.

An outline of content of the leaflets is provided below. 

  • 3 Jan 2018 About dementia
    This describes dementia, with information about symptoms; Alzheimer’s disease; what someone should do if they are worried about their symptoms; and information about treatment and research.
  • 3 Jan 2018 About young onset dementia
    This leaflet provides information about the types of dementia that people under 65 might have, and information about living with the condition that is relevant for younger people who are more likely still to be in work. It describes some of the supports that are available. There are some services that are specific to people living in the city of Glasgow. However, advice and guidance on all aspects of dementia is available to anyone through Alzheimer Scotland’s 24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline on 0808 808 3000 and from local Alzheimer Scotland services.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Adults with incapacity act
    This describes the rights of a person with dementia; the aims and principles of the act; the meaning of “incapacity” and ways to safeguard a person’s welfare.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Getting help caring for someone with dementia – information for carers
    This leaflet is aimed at carers and encourages them to seek help with that role. It explains the sources and types of help available, including the new link worker posts.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Healthy living with dementia
    Gives advice about diet, exercise, social activity and maintaining contacts, and the importance of looking after other aspects of one’s health.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Managing money
    This leaflet introduces the concept of the Power of Attorney and describes other ways that someone with dementia can be helped to manage their finances.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Planning for the future – financial, legal and care issues
    This leaflet discusses Anticipatory Care Plans; introduces the concept of Power of Attorney; outlines the importance of making a will and the status of any property someone has should they need to go into a care home.
  • 3 Jan 2018 Powers of attorney – financial and welfare
    This provides detailed information about Powers of Attorney – what they cover, how they are created, who can be an attorney and what to do with the Power of Attorney document.