Question reference: S4W-30397
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 7 March 2016
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Current status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 21 March 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in evaluating the effectiveness of antenatal education in (a) improving the delivery of such education to vulnerable parents, (b) effectively promoting infant mental health to expectant parents and (c) the delivery of measures to enhance attachment, as recommended in September 2011 by the Maternity Services Action Group's Improvements Sub-group on Maternal and Infant Mental Wellbeing.
Answer
The Scottish Government provided funding to NHS Health Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland to jointly develop the Scottish Antenatal Parent Education Pack (SAPEP), launched in 2011. The pack is for professionals in Scotland to design and deliver consistent parent education that respects and reflects the individual needs of pregnant women and their partners. All 14 health boards have reported that they are delivering antenatal education and implementing SAPEP. NHS Health Scotland has commissioned an evaluation of SAPEP, which is currently underway and due to report shortly. This evaluation will also consider the effectiveness of delivery to vulnerable parents.
The Scottish Government funds NHS Health Scotland to develop and publish Ready, Steady, Baby!, a guide to pregnancy which is given to all pregnant women at their first booking appointment with a midwife. Ready, Steady, Baby! contains advice for new parents to promote babies’ wellbeing and development. NHS Health Scotland is currently reviewing the publication to improve the accessibility of parenting and health information for parents and carers, covering pregnancy to age five. The review process includes a comprehensive health inequalities impact assessment which takes account of the needs of vulnerable parents groups.
One of the key principles of the Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care (published by the Maternity Services Action Group) states that early intervention, prevention and promotion of maternal and infant health and wellbeing are integral elements within maternity care planning and provision. It asks health boards to develop mechanisms to follow advice and guidance on this. NHS Health Scotland has developed a website for early years workers which brings together published evidence and guidance on maternal and infant health and wellbeing, and includes a briefing paper on attachment which is aimed at increasing understanding of the theory and practice of promoting secure attachment.