Chamber and committees

In 2019, the First Minister announced a programme of investment over 4 years to improve perinatal and infant mental health services across Scotland.

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board was established to drive forward this work by providing oversight and strategic direction. This includes supporting boards to develop services and ensure that recruitment happens in a timely manner.

Since March 2019, the Scottish Government has invested over £16 million in perinatal and infant mental health.

This figure includes;

• funding for community specialist mental health services in every health board in Scotland and inpatient services for women and families with the highest level of need,
• investment in the third sector across 33 organisations providing perinatal mental health support to women and families, and
• funding to support the voices of lived experience to shape the development of policy and services, and raise awareness of perinatal and infant mental health among professionals, policy makers and the public.

Scottish Government will continue to invest in these services over the life of the Programme Board. We will continue to invest in perinatal and infant mental health to extend our investment in these services beyond the life of the Programme Board. This funding will enable boards to recruit the required staff, fully establish specialist community perinatal and infant mental health services and deliver on Scottish Government commitments towards perinatal and infant mental health in the long term.

The Programme Board has incurred £423,044 in costs since 2019-20. This includes fees for Programme Board management, research and publishing, as well as the administration and development of the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health third sector funds.