Perinatal Support
Perinatal mental wellbeing is very important to us and we prioritise parents (including dads, same sex couples and main carers) who are either expecting a child or have a child up to one year old on our waiting list. This means they are likely to have reduced wait times for treatment.
Perinatal support is defined as:
- Individuals who are, or have been, pregnant within the last 12 months.
- Primary caregivers who have a child under 12 months old.
- Partners of individuals within the perinatal period.
Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service can offer telephone or video call appointments for your therapy if this is easier. We also have face to face appointments available across the city. Additionally we have a fully online course via Silvercloud which is tailored to the Perinatal period, this can be accessed 24/7 and you do not need appointments to attend. Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service also delivers Omnitherapy online CBT based video courses. With sessions that deal with a Postnatal Depression, Managing Stress in Parenthood and a wide range of other videos. No referral required and you can access the videos straight away.
Other Services
LMWS provides a wide range of perinatal support, working together to help you in the best way possible. To access support, refer yourself to LMWS or speak to your GP/preferred healthcare worker. Following your assessment, you will be referred to the best suited LMWS therapy and/or to one or several of the below services:
Primary Care Mental Health (PCMH)
Primary Care Mental Health (PCMH)
If it’s not clear whether your current difficulties can be addressed directly through LMWS therapies or secondary care services, you may be directed to the Primary Care Mental Health (PCMH) team within LMWS. PCMH prioritises those in need of perinatal support, ensuring you can access services in the quickest time possible.
Leeds Infant Mental Health Service
Leeds Infant Mental Health Service
The Leeds Infant Mental Health Service is part of Leeds Community Healthcare. It supports parents-to-be and caregivers with a baby up to the age of two. The specialist team promote emotional well-being in infants by supporting caregivers to build secure relationships with their babies.
Home-Start
Home-Start
Home-Start Leeds provide mental health support to both mothers and/or their partners experiencing low to moderate perinatal stress, depression, anxiety and isolation after birth and up to the age of two. The support offer is in the home provided by an experienced Coordinator and where needed a Home-Visiting Volunteer.
Dad Matters is a service for Dad’s and non-birthing partners who have experienced birth-trauma and/or are experiencing anxiety around Babys birth. Support is provided pre-birth to a child’s second birthday through One-to-One Support, drop in at Maternity Units and in Online Groups.
Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service (WCTS)
Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service (WCTS)
WCTS offer counselling, psychotherapy, group work and casework support to women and their female partners during the perinatal period. They specialise in working with women who find mainstream services difficult to engage with, have a range of complex needs and/or experience multiple disadvantages.
Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Service
Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Service
The Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Service at Leeds & York Partnership Foundation Trust (LYPFT) provides specialist support to women experiencing significant mental health difficulties during pregnancy and the first year following a child’s birth.
The service also provides inpatient care at the Yorkshire and Humber Mother and Baby Unit and through an Outreach Service that offers three care options to women and mental health professionals across the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Community Mental Health Teams
Community Mental Health Teams
The Community Mental Health Teams at LYPFT provide a secondary care mental health service offering assessment and interventions for those experiencing more severe mental health difficulties.
These teams work with those experiencing new substantial mental health difficulties during the perinatal period, as well as those whose existing mental health difficulties have become substantially enhanced or complicated during this time.
