Parents in Mind provides support to all parents across East Sussex: mothers and birthing people and also fathers and non-birthing partners.
Funded by East Sussex Council and the local Family Hubs provision.
What support is available?
Support is provided across a range of Children’s Centres, Family Hubs, Community Centres, outdoor spaces and also online via Zoom and WhatsApp (both group and one-to-one). Support is tailored to client preference, and moves gently, but with focus: normalising the difficulties of caring for a baby, decreasing isolation, and empowering parents with resources and information.
Our East Sussex programme is also commissioned to deliver the Anna Freud Reflective Parenting course – a psycho-educational programme to enhance bond and attachment, encouraging sensitive and thoughtful parenting.
Project staff Ruby, Lauren, Polly, Nikki and Naya (women and birthing people support), and Kevin and Lewis (dads and partners support) are the first point of contact for all enquiries – they are at the end of the phone for those interested in support, and are ready to liaise with any of our brilliant local partner organisations to make sure care is ‘joined up’ for our clients.
You can follow us on social media on Facebook and Instagram.
Support offered
All of our regular support is offered by referral only, so please complete the referral form or get in touch if you would like to complete it over the phone.
In Person Peer support:
- St Leonards on Monday mornings
- Uckfield on Wednesday mornings
- Peacehaven on Friday mornings
- Eastbourne on Friday mornings
Remote support:
- 'Mindful Zoom' and WhatsApp Chat support is offered on Wednesday evenings, 8pm to 9pm
- Phone one-to-ones are offered flexibly
Additional support in East Sussex
Listed below are a handful of other local organisations who work in partnership with Parents in Mind across East Sussex, which our service users may also find beneficial at this point in their parenting journey.
NHS and Local support
Sussex Mental Health Crisis Line
Call out of hours on 0800 0309 500 or call NHS 111 and select option 2.
Health in Mind: NHS Talking Therapies service
Free for residents of East Sussex. To self-refer:
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Scan QR code on the leaflet
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Call 0300 00 30 130, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Sussex Local Maternity and Neonatal System
Sussex Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team
For playgroups, activities, courses and support.
Third Sector and National support
Birth Trauma Association: For traumatic births
Email support@birthtraumaassociation.org.uk or call 0203 621 6338.
Bliss: For families with premature or sick babies
Cry-sis: For offering support with a crying baby
Open from 9am to 10pm, 7 days a week.
Call us if you have any questions about feeding on 0300 330 0700 (option 1).
Open everyday from 8am to midnight, including bank holidays.
Confidential Listening services
Become a Parents in Mind volunteer
Our project is always keen to welcome new volunteers – parents with lived experience of the struggles raising a newborn can bring, who are passionate about supporting the wellbeing of those in the East Sussex community navigating these struggles today, and can give two hours a week, in exchange for free accredited mental health training and the chance to make a transformative impact on the early days of family life.
Further information
For information about partnership and commissioning opportunities in this locality, please email our East Sussex Regional Manager, Ruby Carmichael ruby.carmichael@nct.org.uk