This module helps volunteers develop the skills and knowledge to effectively support families after the birth either face to face or virtually. This includes emotional wellbeing (including postnatal depression); helping mums to continue breastfeeding; and safeguarding. Overall it aims to help volunteers, help families to develop safe, warm and nurturing parenting.
Throughout this module participants will need to refer to the M5 handout booklet for each session, which are downloadable within each drawer below:
This session helps peer supporters to understand the type of support and information needed for postnatal emotional wellbeing, including raising awareness of serious mental illnesses.
It includes activities that:
- Encourage peer supporters to reflect on their own emotional wellbeing, focusing on what helps when they are feeling low
- Explore baby blues, postnatal depression and puerperal psychosis, including understanding when urgent and early professional help is needed
- Clarify the peer support role and how to help parents (including fathers) during the early months, with a view to empowering parents to move forward without a peer supporter.
Facilitator guide for this session.
Facilitator guide module 5 session 18
Added 05/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
Resources for this session.
Module 5 session 18
Added 05/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
This session is about the importance of social and emotional development of babies during the early months after the birth. This is a crucial time when a baby’s brain is developing rapidly. A close and trusting bond with a care giver is vital.
It includes activities that:
- Explore why the emotional development of babies is so important
- Encourage peer supporters to help parents recognise and respond to baby cues
- Explore how supporting parents to adjust to each other’s new feelings and challenges can help them to be emotionally available to their babies.
Facilitator Guide module 5 session 19
Added 05/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
Resources for this session.
Module 5 session 19
Added 05/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
This session clarifies the peer supporter role in nurturing confident parents. It emphasises the importance of using suggestions, reassurance and offering ideas, rather than jumping in and taking over.
It includes activities that:
- Clarify what skills and qualities an effective parent needs to develop
- Re-emphasise the role of the peer supporter during this time
- Allow volunteers to practice and demonstrate practical baby care, including bathing and nappy changing
- Describe the challenges for parents following a caesarean and how a volunteer could offer support
- Explores how volunteers can support parents in coping with a crying baby.
Facilitator guide for this session.
Facilitator guide module 5 session 20
Added 08/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
Resources for this session.
Module 5 session 20
Added 08/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
This session builds on session 10, raising awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby’s first six months and exploring how to support a mother to breastfeed for as long as she wants.
It includes activities that:
- Discuss positioning and attachment, and signs that breastfeeding is going well and when it’s not
- Remind peer supporters of the benefits of breastfeeding for the first six months
- Give peer supporters a basic understanding of common difficulties and how they can support mothers to overcome them
- Share current information about responsive bottle feeding (including UNICEF guidance) and hand expressing.
Facilitator guide for this session.
Facilitator guide module 5 session 21
Added 08/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
Resources for this session.
Module 5 session 21 resources
Added 08/03/2021Please sign in to download this file.
This final session helps peer supporters understand why and how the programme is monitored and evaluated. It also raises awareness of the important contribution peer supporters make by collecting accurate evaluation data. Please note that the handbook for this session is currently being updated and will be available to download shortly.
It includes activities that:
- Clarify the outcomes and impact that the programme aims to achieve
- Look at the six ways Community Parent peer support is evaluated
- Show peer supporters how to help parents review their own progress
- Emphasises the importance in assisting parents to access services.
Facilitator guide for this session.
Facilitator guide module 5 session 22
Added 17/03/2020Please sign in to download this file.
Resources for this session.
Module 5 session 22
Added 17/03/2020Please sign in to download this file.