The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC) and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) have published a report on the mental health experiences of mothers aged 16-25 in the UK. A focus group was carried out with 20 mothers and the report includes a literature review. The literature review highlights issues around: mental health problems in the perinatal period; teenage maternal suicides; and the impact of adverse childhood experiences. In the focus group, participants described feeling judged by some services and professionals for being a young mother. Recommendations include: listen and respond to the needs of young mothers in national and local systems; invest in universal and preventative services; and ensure access to specialist mental health services.
Read the report: The maternal mental health experiences of young mums
Source: CYPMHC and MMHA
Date: 18 October 2023
