Fathers, partners and co-parents

• You are not currently concerned about your emotional wellbeing OR you are experiencing some mild symptoms but do not feel these are currently impacting on day-to-day life
• You would like to learn more about your emotional wellbeing and support available

You can find out more about dads, partners and co parents’ mental health on Family Assist Solent.

Family Hubs

Meeting and talking to other new parents, and finding they share similar anxieties and frustrations, can be reassuring. It can be a chance to talk about experiences and realise that you are not alone. Family hubs are a ‘one stop shop’ within your community – providing information, signposting and a variety of free services, activities and support for families with children up to 25 years, in one place. Take a look at their timetables of activities.

Solihull Approach courses

We run a range of courses at our family hubs for expectant and new parents, that dads, partners and co parents are welcome to attend including:

Understanding pregnancy, labour and birth (A Solihull Approach Antenatal Group)

Delivered by Home-Start Portsmouth and Health Professionals from Solent NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospital Trust.

This session is for anyone 20+ weeks pregnant. It is a ‘Solihull Approach’ antenatal group that will help you to understand your pregnancy, labour and giving birth including emotional changes.

Find out more at Portsmouth Family Hubs and book your place by emailing the Family Hub Champions.

Understanding Your Baby (A Solihull Approach Postnatal Group)

Delivered by Home-Start Portsmouth and Health Professionals from Solent NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospital Trust.

This session is for families with a baby up to 9 months old.  Understanding your baby is a ‘Solihull Approach’ postnatal group helping you to get to know and care for you new baby in a supportive environment, where you can meet other new parents too.

Find out more at Portsmouth Family Hubs and book your place by emailing the Family Hub Champions.

DadzClub

Bringing together dads and father figures through engaging, creative and playful weekend groups, run by The Parenting Network.

Sessions takes place:

• Every Saturday, 10-11.30am, at Buckland Family Hub
• Every Monday, 9-10am at Beacon View Primary Academy, Paulsgrove

Booking is required. To book visit The Parenting Network website.

• You are worried about your emotional wellbeing or mental health and are experiencing some mild – moderate symptoms that are impacting on your day – day life or relationships
• You might be feeling/experiencing:
  • Sad or low in mood
  • Nervous, anxious or on edge
  • Worrying lots or about lots of different things
  • Feeling stressed or overwhelmed
  • Feelings of anger, agitation or irritability
  • Not enjoying things and/or withdrawing from other people
  • Changes to your sleep and/or appetite
  • Not feeling confident as a parent

Self-Help Techniques via Every Mind Matters

Every Mind Matters offers free, practical tips, advice and techniques to help people with their emotional wellbeing.

Dadzchat

An evening of peer-led discussion and support rung by The Parenting Network and NHS Talking Therapies Portsmouth. An opportunity for dads and male carers to share experience and tools to enhance the journey of fatherhood.

Booking is required.

The first Wednesday of every month, 6.30-8.30pm, at Buckland Family Hub.

To book visit The Parenting Network website.

Dadmatters

 Dadmatters offers 1-1 free support for dads with children under the age of 2 from Homestart Portsmouth.

Dadmatters can support you to build your confidence, create resources, and feel connected to all things involved with being a dad as you navigate your way through this new part of your life.

Contact Andrew, the Dads Coordinator, to arrange a 1-1 meet up or ask any queries about dad life you may want to chat through. Support could be a phone call, walk and talk, or 1-1 consistent meet ups – whatever suits you best.

Andrew will also be hosting coffee mornings in the Portsmouth Family Hubs and in the community – pop along to meet him and have a hot drink.

Find out more here: www.dadmatters.org.uk  

NHS Talking Therapies

Run by Solent NHS Trust, NHS Talking Therapies Portsmouth provides free support to anyone struggling with difficulties such as low mood or anxiety. They can provide a range of talking therapies to help you cope and feel better. Support can be offered both via groups and one-to-one, and includes a virtual postnatal support group.

You can self-refer by visiting NHS Talking Therapies Portsmouth.

Or book a face-to-face assessment, available every Wednesday, 9am – 1pm, at Buckland Family Hub. To book, email Buckland Family Hub or call 023 9288 2588.

Families in Mind

Families in Mind aims to support parents in the transition to parenthood, improve parents’ emotional wellbeing and early relationships. The service supports families experiencing mild to moderate difficulties who would like to improve coping and overcome challenges.

The team includes Specialist Health Visitors, Community Nursery Nurses and a Mental Health Nurse who aim to deliver evidence-based support in a flexible and adaptable way. They offer a range of evidence-based support interventions, delivered flexibly, both individually and via group and in family hubs, your own home or other community site.

You can find out more and self-refer or attend one of our Chat and play sessions, every Tuesday, 9.30-11.30am, at Somerstown Family Hub.

Portsmouth Mental Health Hub

If you are not sure about what support might be right for you and would like to speak to someone you can call the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm)

The phoneline is run by a team of friendly, fully trained call handlers who will connect you to the right support for you. This could be support over the phone, an appointment with other services such as NHS Talking Therapies or Positive Minds or an offer to connect you with other local organisations.

Anyone aged 16+ can call and get support for their mental health. You do not need to go through your GP to access this service.

Your GP

If you are worried about your mental health, then you can contact GP. They can discuss options for support and make referrals. Your GP can also prescribe medication and talk to you about any worries you may have about this.

• You are worried about your emotional wellbeing or mental health and are experiencing moderate – severe symptoms that are significantly impacting on your day – day life or relationships
• You have experienced a sudden worsening of existing or new onset of symptoms
• You are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide.  Please see also urgent help
• You are feeling persistently incompetent (not confident) or estranged from (not connected to) your unborn baby
• Your symptoms have persistent or got worse despite accessing ‘help’
• You have a diagnosis of a severe mental health condition which is known to have some increased risk of relapse during pregnancy or after the birth such as Bipolar Affective Disorder
• You have a diagnosis of a severe mental health condition which has significantly worsened during or due to the pregnancy such as OCD, depression, anxiety, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Personality Disorder

Your GP

If you are worried about your mental health, then you can contact GP. They can discuss options for support and make referrals. Your GP can also prescribe medication and talk to you about any worries you may have about this.

Community Mental Health Team

A2i offer holistic assessments to individuals with severe mental illness aged 18 and over. The team work closely with other mental health teams in the community, including GP surgeries and The Crisis Resolution Home Team (CRHT) to understand and assess your needs to help you recover

The support offered to patients is personalised based on their needs and symptoms. If longer term support is required, the patient can be referred to the Community Mental Health Team.

The team do not currently accept referrals. However, you can be referred by your GP, other professional or via the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub.

Portsmouth Mental Health Hub

If you are not sure about what support might be right for you and would like to speak to someone you can call the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm)

The phoneline is run by a team of friendly, fully trained call handlers who will connect you to the right support for you. This could be support over the phone, an appointment with other services such as NHS Talking Therapies or Positive Minds or an offer to connect you with other local organisations.

Anyone aged 16+ can call and get support for their mental health. You do not need to go through your GP to access this service.

• You are experiencing intense emotional distress that is difficult to bear
• You are experiencing thoughts and / or plans of violent self-harm and suicide
• You feel unable to keep yourself safe
• You are feeling hopeless for the future
• You or your family/friends have noticed changes to your behaviour and thoughts such as hallucinations, delusions or paranoia

If you need emergency medical help immediately, call 999.

If you need urgent help for something that’s not life-threatening, you can call 111. They have specialist nurses who can support both adults and young people with the mental health and connect you with local CRISIS services. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week and is from any phone. You can also visit NHS 111 online.

If you are currently under the Community Mental Health or Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Teams, you can call the CRISIS team direct on the number provided.

If you are worried about caring for your baby or child, you can call the Multiagency Safeguarding Hub on 023 9268 8793, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm or 0300 555 1372 out of hours.

If you need urgent help, are feeling unable to keep yourself or others safe, please call 999 immediately.