A brief introduction to perinatal mental health (DAA002)
Build a vital baseline of knowledge and skills around perinatal mental health
This five-hour, online course provides a brief introduction to perinatal mental health, with a focus on specific perinatal mental disorders and an overview of the potential risks associated with perinatal mental illness.
CPD certified and developed in line with the perinatal mental health competency framework, our interactive course builds knowledge and understanding in order to enhance the care given to women, infants and families during the perinatal period.
By the end of the course, you will have an increased awareness of some of the most common forms of perinatal mental illness and will feel more confident navigating this complex area in your work.
“Women see a wide range of professionals when planning a pregnancy, pregnant and after birth,” says course lead, Dr Lucinda Green. “These include midwives, health visitors, GPs, social workers, psychologists and many more. It is vital that these professionals understand the impact of perinatal mental illness, and the associated risks, for women, infants, partners and families.”
“The Digital Academy’s perinatal mental health courses are designed to provide an introduction to this important subject in a way that allows professionals to participate flexibly to fit in with their busy working lives. We hope that the combination of interactive learning, videos and reflection will enable learning to be embedded into clinical practice to improve care for women and families.”
Aims and learning objectives
This perinatal mental health course will allow you to:
- explore a range of factors that can affect a woman’s mental health during pregnancy and after birth, including her history and current context
- recognise the prevalence and symptoms of common perinatal mental disorders, including postnatal depression and postpartum psychosis
- gain an understanding of the risks associated with perinatal mental illness, including the risk of suicide and risk to the infant
- understand the importance of considering the infant’s perspective and how a mother’s mental health might affect the infant
- identify the various professionals and services from across the care pathway involved in women’s care during the perinatal period
You will learn by:
- exploring key concepts through interactive lecture content and videos
- deepening your understanding via regular opportunities for reflection
- considering a case study to help apply the theory to your work
- testing your knowledge with a multiple choice quiz, which will unlock access to your CPD certificate upon completion
Who is this course for?
We welcome anyone on this course who has a keen interest in perinatal mental health. In particular, the course is for you if you are a:
- mental health practitioner in non-specialist services (Adult and CAMHS) and are keen to develop your knowledge and skills in relation to the care of women in the perinatal period
- non-mental health professional who cares for women during the pregnancy and postnatal period and you are keen to develop your knowledge and skills in perinatal mental health in order to improve the care you provide
You may be working as a:
- midwife or maternity support worker
- obstetrician
- doula
- health visitor or health visitor assistant
- social worker or other practitioner within social care
- children’s centre or early years practitioner
- nursery nurse
- third sector volunteer or practitioner
- peer support worker
Course details
This interactive course runs continuously, so you can sign up at any time. It offers five hours of self-directed online learning which you can undertake at a time, pace and location that suits you.
You will have access to the course and its materials for one year. Access begins the day after you’ve booked, when you will receive your account details by email.
This course covers the following areas:
- factors from a woman’s history and current context which can affect her experience of pregnancy, birth and parenting and her risk of perinatal mental illness
- the experience and perspective of the woman’s partner including their history, relationship and attitudes
- the experience and perspective of the infant and the importance of holding the infant in mind
- the prevalence, symptoms and diagnoses of perinatal depression, postpartum psychosis and perinatal OCD
- an overview of potential risks associated with perinatal mental disorders including the risk of suicide and risk to the infant
- a summary of the professionals and services involved in women’s care during the perinatal period
There are no specific requirements for the course and there’s no assumption you’ll have prior knowledge in mental health. This course will provide a clear and accessible introduction to the subject, with a clinical focus.
There’s a multiple choice question assessment at the end of the course, which provides access to your Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust CPD certificate upon completion.
Find out more about the competency framework for perinatal mental health upon which this course is based.
Testimonials
Why study with us?
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has been at the forefront of exploring mental health and wellbeing for over 100 years. We bring our extensive experience to this course as the only NHS Trust to be registered as a Higher Education Provider by The Office for Students. This means your learning will be grounded in practice and real life application. With our Digital Academy, we have made our training accessible and available to everyone to explore in your own time, at your own pace. Find out more.
Course facilitators
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Dr Lucinda Green
Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist
Accreditations
This course has been independently evaluated for Continuing Professional Development purposes by the CPD Certification Service. This means that the learning activity meets global CPD standards and benchmarks, and the learning value has been scrutinised to ensure integrity and quality.
Book your place today
Our Digital Academy mini courses run continuously so you can join at any time. Access begins the day after you’ve booked, when you will receive your login details by email.
Related courses
CPD certificate