Maternal Mental Health Scotland
  • For those affected
    • How can pregnancy affect my mental health?
    • What is postnatal depression?
    • Why is this happening to me?
    • How can I support her?
    • What is postpartum psychosis?
  • Getting help
    • What will happen if I need help?
    • If I need medical advice, who do I contact?
    • Who will be helping us?
    • What’s a Mother and Baby Unit like?
    • What if I have had mental health problems in the past?
    • Links to ongoing support for women, partners and families
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Multimedia resources
    • Guideline Reports
    • Reading List
    • About Us
  • News and Events
    • News
    • Christine’s tour
  • Everyone’s Business

Education and resources about perinatal mental health


What peer support means to us – Quarriers Maternal Wellbeing Service

by Clare Thompson • 11 December 2020
Logo for Quarriers.

Quarriers Maternal Wellbeing Service runs a group of seven peer mentors. All peer mentors have had support through our Maternal Wellbeing service and identified that they would like to give something back to the service to help other women in similar situations. These mums felt that having support and someone to talk to who “knows what it feels like” was the best support for a mum’s emotional wellbeing, and began their journey to become peer mentors.

It was very important from the start that mentors were involved in making decisions on what direction they would like the peer mentor support to go.

All mentors have taken part in Quarriers mandatory training as well as training in Child Protection and Solihull Foundation. Peer mentors also identified other training they felt would support their work, including Baby Massage, Bookbug and Awareness of Perinatal Mood Disorder.

The Maternal Wellbeing staff team felt it was important that as well as giving, peer mentors get something back in return. All mentors have access to opportunities available to Quarriers staff: training, team meetings, support, supervision and opportunities to apply for internal vacancies.

All peer mentors are working towards achieving SVQ 3 Health and Social Services Adults.

As part of development of the service, peer mentors feel it is important to remove as many barriers to accessing support as possible. With this in mind, they plan to:
• set up satellite groups in areas out with the project base
• offer help with pickups for mums to attend the service
• support mums to use public transport to attend groups and appointments, go for walks and shopping

Mentors have access to regular supervision and opportunities to discuss their own emotional wellbeing. Mentors also felt it was important to have weekly contact with the other peer mentors, and this takes place through WhatsApp chat and video calls.

The service was evaluated by a team at University of Stirling – report here.

For more information, contact:
Phone: 0141 774 8202 – ask for Alison, Jill or Rhonda
Email: ruchaziefamilysupport@quarriers.org.uk

Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity No.SC001960

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Print

Related


Find information

Recent posts

  • Experts by Experience Reference Group – Collaborating on a Terms of Reference
  • New partnership to support mothers with serious mental illness
  • Wellbeing for Wee Ones
  • Funding secured for specialist perinatal mental health in Northern Ireland
  • Baby Loss Retreat – What Peer Support Means to us

External Resources

  • National Childbirth Trust
  • Bluebell PND Counselling Service
  • Association for Post Natal Illness
  • Mellow Parenting
  • Maternal Mental Health Alliance
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists
  • Royal College of Midwives
  • Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Donate to support us
Please donate to support our work.

We have created this site to provide you with information and resources. However, this site is not medical advice and is provided for your information only. Maternal Mental Health Scotland cannot provide medical or health advice through this web site.

If you need assistance, please speak with your GP or contact the resources available to you within your local health board.

Find who can help me in my community

Third sector web design by Idea15 Web Design
Maternal Mental Health Scotland is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. No: SC044891
Registered Office: Studio 1015, Mile End Mill, Abbeymill Business Centre, Seedhill Road, Paisley PA1 1 TJ Email
©2014-2017 Maternal Mental Health Scotland