CENTRE FOR WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTING research and PRACTICE development IN FAMILY VIOLENCE

Translational Research AND FAMILY VIOLENCE Pregnancy and early parenting as a key area for intervention Issues for women's mental health and infant development Role of antenatal care and women's access to broad psychosocial support Enhance capacity of antenatal care for risk identification and response Address barriers to risk identification and dialogue with vulnerable women Move beyond advice giving Need to develop targeted mental health and psychosocial support approaches that are accessible and deliverable in multidisciplinary context Currently limited mental health programs available despite high rates of depression and trauma related issues Little focus on promoting infant development and parenting in the face of domestic violence

SAFE MOTHERS, SAFE BABIES Better identification and response to women at risk of family violence ISSUE – family violence increases in pregnancy; 20% of new cases of FV begin in pregnancy Stress and anxiety in pregnancy impacts mother mental health and infant development RESPONSE – antenatal clinic as ideal setting for identifying women at risk and linking them to support; there are currently no standard approaches to this and no designated early intervention service DISSEMINATION – antenatal services with training provided by NBO Australia. RWH

MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSES TO FV IN PREGNANCY Provide information and access to support options Support women in protecting their own mental health and wellbeing and health of baby Mental health early intervention program around stress and anxiety and promotion of parenting Use of interactional interventions – NBO, PWF Follow up focussed on infant parent relationship and child development

PROJECT COMPONENTS Antenatal screening and identification Mental health assessment and planning appropriate approach Antenatal Group program – Mind Baby Body Postnatal Mother Infant group program – Parenting With Feeling, Newborn Behavioural Observation Focus on engagement around safety, foetal and infant development and parenting in the face of risk, addressing mental health issues related to trauma such as depression and anxiety Focus on infant attachment and development and issues of parental reflective capacity

PREVENTION IN HIGH RISK DYADS Interventions focus on improving responsivity and emotional attunement Aim at improving understanding of infant needs and changing perceptions of the infant Attachment focussed interventions Infant -led interventions

PARENTING WITH FEELING Uses interaction of infant and parent in direct way – observation and reflection Uses video of infant communication Addresses trauma issue in parents history and current issues Tasks to improve reflective capacity and parental role 10 week group program for 5-6 dyads using 2 clinicians RWH providing training for facilitators in approach Incorporates NBO and trainings provided Nationally by NBO Australia, hosted by RWH

PWF KEY CONCEPTS Trauma and representation of the infant Development of emotional competency Parent as attachment figure Supportive exploration and normalisation Support for mothers in developing sense of self as emotionally responsive and available to infant – self esteem and confidence