Improving the mental health of expectant and new parents: Karitane leads innovative program, ForWhen
Published: 25 May 2022
Pregnancy and parenthood is a time of big change for new parents. What’s often not spoken about are the challenges that can come with it.
ForWhen is a new navigation service to support parents in finding the right perinatal mental health service at the right time, for the right care and treatment. It is a stepped care support service for parents and families experiencing perinatal mental health concerns and challenges. It’s designed to provide new parents — mothers, fathers, and carers — with a caring, supporting, and timely mental health navigation service in their local area.
ForWhen is the result of a collaborative effort among leading early parenting services and family care organisations across Australia, UNSW and the Parenting Research Centre. Karitane has been privileged to play a leading role in this consortium after being awarded federal funding in June 2021.
Operating in partnership with local organisations and service providers, we connect expectant and new parents to the support they need to improve mental health from their baby’s conception to first birthday.
It’s estimated that 1 in every 5 new and expecting mums, and 1 in every 10 dads, experience perinatal depression and/or anxiety. Postnatal psychosis is a serious mental illness that affects one to two new mothers in every 1,000 and for Wollongong mother Gabrielle, it consumed her first months of parenthood — twice.
Gabrielle contributed insights from her own journey and helped shape the design of ForWhen, a national support line that connects you to the right service that can help you understand what you’re feeling and provide the guidance and support you need at the right time.
Parents experience seamless service delivery, feel heard and supported, and are connected to services that best match their needs. All they need to do is call the FREE helpline: 1300 24 23 22 or visit forwhenhelpline.org.au (between 9.00am-4.30pm Mon-Fri).
Last reviewed: June 2022