Coping with the sharks!

What a lovely sunny drive to Hull today for a Forward Ladies event - the North's premier womens' networking and business support group. http://www.forwardladies.com/

It was a joint event held by Business Link Yorkshire and Forward Ladies.
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home

In the past I have received helpful advice from Business Link Northwest. Business Link is a free business advice and support service, available online and through local advisers.

The venue was 'The Deep' http://www.thedeep.co.uk/
one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world. This award-winning Yorkshire family attraction is home to 40 sharks and over 3,500 fish.

I attended a session by Mark Coulman from Business Link Yorkshire who talked about Profit Optimisation.

Even in these times of plenty of sharks in our current economic climate he suggested ways of swimming through.

Most relevant to me was his ideas on customer service. May I ask if you are one of my 'customers', are you happy with what and how I deliver my service and knowledge?

Is there anything I could do to improve? Is there anything else I could offer to help your needs and wants as regards maternal mental health?

Please let me know!

Elaine

www.hanzak.com

Time for a Life Check?

Today I gave a presentation to the Yorkshire and Humberside Maternity Modernisation Forum, which consisted of maternity service commissioners and heads of midwifery. My angle was on the aspects which matter most to new mothers and their families.

Dr Julie Jomeen from the University of Hull gave an inspiring presentation on the care pathways they are in the process of setting up for maternal mental health. More information to follow.

I also learned today about the NHS Lifecheck scheme.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/NHSLifeCheck/DH_080716

NHS LifeCheck is an online health service that will help people assess and manage their own health. The NHS LifeCheck programme is based upon a commitment in the 2006 Government White Paper ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’ to initially develop three NHS LifeChecks for early years, adolescent and mid-life. Since then the Department of Health has been working with partners including health and social care professionals, academic researchers, stakeholders, experts and the public to develop these three NHS LifeChecks.

Relevant to my area of interest is the Early Years Life check.

http://www.nhs.uk
/earlyyearslifecheck/

The NHS Early Years LifeCheck is for parents and carers with babies 5-8 months old. It is based on the Department of Health’s ‘Birth to five’ publication and provides current information and useful advice about what parents can do to help keep their baby healthy, happy and safe. The service has been developed by the Department of Health in consultation with doctors, parents, carers, nurses, midwives and health visitors.

Has anyone used it out there? Did you find it useful? Please let me know!

Going to try the MidLife health check myself!

The venue today was Pontefract racecourse - very pleasant.
http://www.pontefract-races.co.uk/


Elaine

www.hanzak.com

Mother's Day - does it make you feel good?

As Mother's Day is approaching spare a thought for those for whom it may not be a day for celebration, but of pain and heartache.

Mothering Sunday can be very hard when you have all the negative thoughts and feelings associated with postnatal depression. It is a day that you should be celebrating the magic of motherhood - but not if you currently have no bond or feelings with your child. Then there is the guilt - why do you not feel ecstatic? Why is motherhood such hard work/not what you expected?

If this is how you are feeling remember the mission statement of Postpartum Support International which stresses briefly
1. You are not to blame
2. It will get better
3. You are not alone

http://postpartum.net/

I agree entirely!

Also for some mothers they are actually apart from their children for a variety of reasons, e.g. illness, parental alienation syndrome. This recently happened to me for a short while and it was one of the worst feelings ever. Consequently I give my support to MATCH even more now.


http://www.matchmothers.org/

Have a look at this blog for some lovely ideas on how to cope with such feelings.

http://sarahhart.wordpress.com/

My 'feel good' rating is off the scale this week - the latest Lionel Richie album was released today called 'Just Go'. I was at the shop at 8 am this morning!! Then I am going to his show on Friday in Manchester and on Sunday in Sheffield. Okay I am 45 going on 14 this week but I am a firm believer that if something makes you feel good - Just Do It!!!


What makes you feel good?

Elaine

www.hanzak.com

Child and Family Training

Today I have found out about some useful organisations involving child and family aspects.


http://www.childandfamilytraining.org.uk

Child and Family Training is a non-profit organisation working to promote evidence-based assessments and interventions with children and families.

http://www.inmyshoes.org.uk/

In My Shoes is a computer package that helps professionals communicate with children and learning disabled adults about their experiences, views, wishes and feelings, including potentially distressing experiences such as illness and abuse in home, educational and other settings. The interviewer sits alongside the child and assists, guides and interacts with them through a structured interview process. Trainees learn how to use the In My Shoes computer-package and structured interview approach, as well as building on their skills in communicating with children. In My Shoes has a sound research base and has been sponsored by the Department of Health/DfES and others. It is useful for psychologists, social workers, child psychiatrists, other mental health staff, health workers, educational workers and specialists in forensic services.

http://www.acamh.org.uk/

ACAMH is a multi-discipinary membership association and valuable resource for those engaged in child and adolescent mental health and its associated specialties.

Established in 1956 by Emanuel Miller as a network to bring together like-minded professionals, it quickly attracted leading luminaries from across the disciplines, inspired to study the various ways in which the life of the child was influenced and to define the many dimensions and co-ordinates of the growing human mind as it developed from childhood into adolescence and beyond.

http://www.attachmentstyleinterview.com/

The Attachment Style Interview

The ASI is an interview which assesses characteristics of current adult attachment style in relation to a person's ability to access and utilise social support. As such it belongs to the ‘social psychology' strand of investigation of attachment style. It was developed by Professor Antonia Bifulco and her team at the Lifespan Research Group at Royal Holloway, University of London.

http://www.ncb.org.uk/

Founded in 1963, the National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a charitable organisation that acts as an umbrella body for organisations working with children and young people in England & Northern Ireland. Through working in partnership, sharing knowledge, resources and services we have created a powerful, authoritative and influential voice to improve the lives of children and young people.

http://iacapap.ki.se/

IACAPAP is a non-governmental organization the purpose of which is to promote the study, treatment, care and prevention of mental and emotional disorders and disabilities of children, adolescents and their families. The emphasis is on practice and research through collaboration between child psychiatrists and the allied professions of psychology, social work, pediatrics, public health, nursing, education, social sciences and other relevant fields.

That should be enough to keep you busy on a sunny Sunday!

Elaine

www.hanzak.com

Maternity Matters - lots of information

For those of you involved in maternity services I have found some useful links listed on the NW Maternity Matters website http://www.northwest.nhs.uk/projects/maternity/.

Here they are:-

http://www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/maternity.html and http://www.cypf.csip.org.uk/maternity.html

Birth Rate plus methodologies
http://www.birthrateplus.co.uk/

Supporting the impact and measurement of choice on birth rates - CSIP
http://www.csip.org.uk/our-initiatives/children-young-people-and-families/maternity.html?keywords=maternity

To support the forecasting methodologies for types of birth
www.birthchoiceuk.com

Regional summary data on births
www.yhpho.org.uk
http://www.nwph.net/nwpho/default.aspx

Healthcare Commission – governance, ratings, statistics and trust performance
http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/homepage.cfm

National Workforce Projects – source of planning tools and best practice
http://www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/maternity.html
http://www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/projects/general/maternity_links.html

Children's Workforce Development Council
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/local-workforce-strategy-toolkit

Department of Health
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_073312

Dr. Foster
http://www.drfoster.co.uk/localservices/birthGuide.asp

Kings Fund – Maternity Support Workers
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/nursing/events/news

Together for Children – Children Centres
http://www.togetherforchildren.co.uk/

Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Unit (ChiMat)
http://www.chimat.org.uk/

For links on the maternity matters baseline self assessment matrix to benchmark progress and support action planning and other key tools
http://www.cypf.csip.org.uk/maternity/maternity/tools.html

Plenty of information there!

Elaine

www.hanzak.com

A great model for a perinatal mental health service

If you need ideas on developing a good perinatal mental health service have a look at Northamptonshire PCT website at
http://www.changingmindscentre.co.uk/v/parental_mentalhealth_team

They have some great schemes including Buggy Buggies and Baby Massage.

There is also a useful booklet to download on Emotional Changes During Pregnancy and Following Childbirth.

http://www.changingmindscentre.co.uk/v/parental_tools

If you have been to any of these activities perhaps you would like to comment?

Thank you Sally (see comments) for telling us about http://www.massageforbabies.com/


Elaine

www.hanzak.com

Mental Health Training &The Solihull Approach

Yesterday I attended a workshop looking at further development of an e-learning package on mental health, to update the current one at
http://learning.camhs.org.uk/

Watch this space for the new one!

I also found out about the Solihull approach.

http://www.solihull.nhs.uk/solihullapproach/

The Solihull Approach was first developed in Solihull in 1996 by joint working between Health Visitors and Psychotherapists. The approach was initially designed for Health Visitors to work with families with children with feeding, sleeping, toileting and behaviour difficulties. The Solihull Approach has developed further and is now used by a wide range of professionals from different agencies to work with families. The Solihull Approach Model provides professionals with a framework for thinking about children's behaviour that develops practice that can support effective and consistent approaches across agencies.

If you work with families with young children it may be worthwhile having a look at.

Elaine

www.hanzak.com