AQW 7492/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 26/02/2024
Answered On Date: 11/03/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the postnatal mental health resources available for new fathers.

Answer:

It is recognised that the postnatal period may be a time of considerable psychological and social stress for the baby’s father and this may contribute to depressive symptoms developing.

My Department along with the Public Health Agency established Community Perinatal Mental Health services across all HSC Trusts in June 2023. While this service is for mothers, our teams can offer support and psychoeducation to their partners and direct them to appropriate services to seek help.

There are a range of services available for men within general mental health services and within the community and voluntary sector.

As Community Perinatal Mental Health teams grow and evolve, it may be possible that they are able to offer more by the way of support and intervention to the partners of the mothers they are seeing.