Perinatal training for community and inpatient perinatal mental health practitioners (CPD91b)

Address a range of topics to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary in your role as a perinatal mental health clinician

Perinatal training for community and inpatient perinatal mental health practitioners

Duration: 35 hours

Delivery: Online: live teaching

Qualification: CPD certificate

Enquire now

Download CPD brochure

This course has been specifically designed for the specialist perinatal mental health workforce and addresses a range of topics to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary in your role as a specialist perinatal mental health clinician.

It is aimed at clinicians working in NHS Specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Teams; Maternal Mental Health Services and Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in the United Kingdom.

We are no longer running this course. If you would like to be updated about similar courses in future, please register your interest via our mailing list.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will have an enhanced understanding of their role as a perinatal practitioner in the following contexts, and be able to apply this knowledge within their workplace:

the perinatal frame of mind
working within a perinatal mental health multidisciplinary team
assessing and providing care for women and families in the perinatal period
how a baby’s personality develops
unconscious defensive processes
attachment behaviour
holding the Infant in mind
one’s own emotional responses – in relation to self-reflection / impact of the work/ making and ending relationships
working with risk
child safeguarding
working with agencies across the perinatal care pathway
keeping the partner/father and family in mind
cultural competence in the perinatal context
contributing to clinical decision-making
implementing the Long-Term Plan

The course aims to improve clinicians’ knowledge and confidence of the following subjects:

perinatal depression and anxiety
perinatal OCD
postpartum psychosis
caring for women with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the perinatal period
personality disorder in the perinatal context
risk in the perinatal period
child safeguarding in the perinatal context
prescribing in pregnancy and breastfeeding
psychological interventions

The importance of the woman, the partner and the baby’s perspective will be considered throughout all aspects of the course.

Who is this course for?

This course is specifically designed for clinicians working in NHS Specialist Community Perinatal Teams; Maternal Mental Health Services or Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in the United Kingdom.

It is particularly beneficial for perinatal mental health nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychologists who are new to working within these services.

The training has been designed to:

upskill the specialist perinatal mental health workforce
support the expansion of perinatal mental health community and inpatient services
support standardised competencies in perinatal mental health practice
enhance the provision of perinatal mental healthcare
improve recruitment and retention of the perinatal mental health workforce

Course details

The course runs over nine half-day (morning) sessions, on the following dates. Attendance is expected at all sessions. The next course will run on the following dates:

Sessions	Date	Start time	End time
Session 1/9	16 January 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 2/9	29 January 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 3/9	6 February 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 4/9	20 February 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 5/9	23 February 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 6/9	26 February 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 7/9	8 March 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 8/9	18 March 2024	9.30am	1.00pm
Session 9/9	25 March 2024	9.30am	1.00pm

This course will be delivered remotely using Zoom, and the session will not be recorded.

You will need a device with a microphone and camera together with a suitably fast internet connection. Although mobile devices and tablets can be used, we recommend the use of a laptop or desktop PC for the best experience. Some devices provided by employers may have restrictions in place. Please use this Zoom test link to check your set up before booking.

You will be sent the necessary login link about a week before the course start date. Should you have any concerns about the accessibility of remote delivery please contact us to discuss how we can best help you.

A series of presentations, and group discussions delivered online over 9 half days, will cover the complex range of relationships that perinatal mental health practitioners have to consider, alongside an overview of maternal psychiatric conditions and their treatments.

The course will include a mix of lectures, video material and case discussion.

Free webinar

Explore the role of training for professionals involved in the care of women and families throughout the perinatal period in our free webinar recording.

It will help you to feel more confident navigating this area in your professional role, and making informed decisions on training for yourself and your colleagues.

Perinatal mental health webinar

Testimonials

“Really excellent course, thought provoking and informative. The leaders are so knowledgeable so feel I learnt so much from them. Thoughtful, relevant, sensitive.rnrn”

Student

“The training has covered and broken down so many aspects related to perinatal mental health into very manageable chunks. I liked that the training days were spaced, it gives us time to reflect and put in practice what we have learnt rather than feeling overwhelmed with all the information. Very well organised and well led with input from great presenters.”

Student

“Found the course really informative and engaging. I like that the same course is being offered across the country so that we are all working towards the same standards of care. Interesting to hear from other services how they are doing and the differences and similarities in our roles.”

Student

“Insightful and helped in working with women who struggle to manage their emotions. rnI have been able to explore tools for working much more confident with this group of women.”

Student