Do you know any other Children's Centres who need training around postnatal illness? Please let me know if you do.
Just wanted to share the feedback Ann Girling and I received from our last workshop with Children's Centre professionals and parents. Needless to say we are delighted with it!
Here is my blog about it: http://elainehanzak.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-our-presentation-to-bracknell.html
Postnatal Depression Symposium
Questionnaire
30th September 2010 at Brackenhale Open Learning Centre
(organised by the Rowans and Sycamores Children’s Centres)
for professionals and families
Are you a parent or a professional and if so what is your profession?
“Both – I work as a family outreach support worker for Action for Children” (3)
“Both – children’s centre admin”
“Both – family support worker” (3)
“Parent, aspiring life coach – want to dedicate my life to helping other mums”
“NCT ante-natal teacher, also teach baby massage and baby yoga”
“Parent and mental heath nurse”
“Parent” (3)
“Family Outreach Support Worker” (4)
“Parent and toddler development officer”
“Parent of 2 and a children’s centre manager”
“Early Years Development officer”
“Volunteer at Children’s Centre”
“Reception teacher”
“Senior organiser Homestart Bracknell” (2)
“Project worker and parent to 3 grown children”
“Project worker” (2)
“Parent and assistant project worker”
“Assistant project worker”
“Workforce development officer”
“Senior Nursery Manager”
How did you hear about the session?
“Through Louise Clark the Rowans centre manager” (7)
“Email from the Rowans centre Bracknell” (13)
“Through Talking Therapies Bracknell” (2)
“Colleague” (5)
“From my children’s centre” (2)
“From family support advisor”
“My mum works for BFC council”
What are your reasons for attending the session?
“Professionally – to be able to help others. But also personally – I have realised
a number of things throughout the session ring true with myself”
“Open to learn anything related to parenting and meet the workshop leaders”
“To increase my awareness”
“Interest in women’s health on PND – [I’m] on a PND working group with Talking
Therapies [and] personal interest”
“Suffered previously – possibly still do”
“To improve my practice in my role”
“Work with new parents and young parents and run bumps and babes group”
“To gain more knowledge of PND and how to support sufferers” (14)
“Personally wanted more info on PND as I didn’t have any” (sic)
“To help a friend”
“To gain insight into such a significant issue affecting mothers and their families”
“Interest, to help parents in our centres”
“I’ve never had any training on this subject and thought it would be useful as I work
with baby groups and new mums”
“I work with many parents with PND and I wanted a greater understanding of it”
“As a professional, work role and grandparent”
“Personal interest as suffered from postnatal depression and hoped to pass on
experience to professionals and other parents”
“Wanted to be informed as there is PND in my family”
What (if any) knowledge and understanding did you have of postnatal
depression?
“Some – I help mothers who are depressed to talk about how they feeling”
“It can happen to anybody – it is curable – may be prevented too”
“That it’s an illness and can affect anyone”
“I’ve worked with many women with PND and experienced postnatal depression myself!”
“Some – suffered slightly myself after miscarriage”
“I have had postnatal depression”
“Best friend been through it and wanted to see what I could do to help”
“I remember my mother struggling with it for years and her being sectioned for months on
end”
“Sister suffered with it but didn’t know much about it”
“Only from personal experience”
“Experienced it in the family”
“I suffered but have never researched it professionally”
“Fair knowledge from internet research” (2)
“General statistics, health visitors check”
“Some via literature and talking to others who have experienced it”
“A small amount regarding postnatal depression”
“Basic understanding gained through talking with parents and friends who have experienced it”
“Limited knowledge from speaking to others and reading. No specific training”
“None” (2)
“Very little” (5)
“Quite a lot” (2)
“Some – related to Solihull Approach attachment effects etc”
“Knew it was depression suffered by women after childbirth”
“Not enough – but now I have attended the workshop I know a lot more”
What have you learned that you didn’t know before the session?
“That PND can be so well hidden – and that I probably suffered myself. That it is so hard to
spot and realise you may have it yourself”
“Found out about interesting books, resources and ways for support”
“That the symptoms can vary by individuals”
“The legacy of postnatal depression”
“Not so much that I didn’t know, but that the symptoms are not uncommon”
“How easy it is to go without being diagnosed or even noticed”
“The support I’m offering does make a difference”
“How your actions as a professional impact on families – gaining insight into the illness”
“How important recognition and interaction is to prevent long term mental health problems that
stem from undiagnosed/ untreated PND”
“New support strategies”
“What PND is and how it affects people - also that I need to give myself ‘me time!’”
“Signs of depression – feelings a person suffering from depression has – some ways to help” (2)
“Looking after self – daring to ask the ‘big’ question”
“From Elaine and Anne that there is a major light at the end of the tunnel – if
support and understanding is given to PND [sufferers]”
“Prevalence and diversity [of the condition] in GB”
“That men get postnatal depression too – about 25%. I have learnt more about the
symptoms – especially the high flyers” (2)
“Reasons/ situations that could lead to postnatal depression. How best to help people suffering”
“I can’t fix it I can only listen”
“Made me more aware of the severity… percentage of women suffering”
“Not to just take ‘fine’ as an answer – looking beyond the obvious signs” (4)
“Listen” (3)
“Proper acknowledgement of PND by professionals. Also how we still need to skill-up the
workforce in this area”
“That PND can equal nervous energy not just moping”
Do you feel more confident at spotting the symptoms of postnatal depression?
“I do – and more able to not want to try and practically do things for parents – that listening
may be all that is needed”
“Yes” (28)
“Yes and how to refer on”
“Probably the same”
Do you feel more confident that you would be able to offer some support to someone suffering with postnatal depression, or be able to signpost them to the correct help?
“Yes” (29)
“Yes it will be useful for my role as a Homestart volunteer, friend of a mum who has PND,
want to start a local support group”
“Happy to listen and support [parents] myself, or to signpost if beyond my ability”
“Yes – in my role will look at putting on more training in this area so watch this space!”
How would you rate the speakers?
Excellent (25) Good Fair Poor Very poor
How would you rate the session as a whole?
Excellent (24) Good (1) Fair Poor Very poor
Is there anything that you feel could be improved about the session?
“More time – although we were given resources to look at and print off – which is probably
better”
“Make it longer”
“It would have been helpful at the beginning of the session or in the small groups to find
out who was in the group”
“Make it longer – full day” (2)
“No” (8)
“Longer? Could include case studies to help spot the clues”
“From a personal view I love statistics but I can get those from books!”
Any other comments?
“Personal stories and picture presentation I felt was so much more positive than power points”
“Thank you for your work – you make a difference”
“Thank you so much for sharing your stories. I found the session very interesting and inspiring” (2)
“Very interesting, informative and moving”
“Excellent workshop both personally and professionally given knowledge and support”
“Very informative – thanks” (3)
“Thank you – you have opened my eyes” (2)
“More info about your charity and its progress – Are there voluntary postnatal depression councillors? If so can you signpost courses?”
“This will help with other people that suffer from depression too”
“Very inspirational”
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.
Elaine Hanzak
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