Pregnant women and new mums in Gloucestershire will benefit from over £113k funding which will improve specialist community mental health support for women, their babies and families.

Gloucestershire was one of only 20 areas to be successful in receiving wave one funding last year. This was used to set up a specialist perinatal mental health team which supports pregnant women and new mothers who are experiencing post-natal depression and other emotional difficulties, as well as their babies and families.

The service has been really successful since it started in July 2017, and has already received nearly 150 referrals.

The additional funding will give the service a welcome boost and will be used to expand and develop the team. With one in ten women experiencing a mental health problem during their pregnancy and in the first year after birth, providing high quality support to new mothers, newborns and their families is important, and is a high priority in Gloucestershire.