Blog: ‘Trust, bravery and change shapes everything we do’

We talk about being brave at Aberlour and, often, that means being brave enough to say, okay, this is happening, what do we do now? Brave enough to say, yes, let's go, let’s try something new. 

We are always looking at what we do and asking how we might do it differently, do it better? The start of our perinatal befriending service is just one example but a good one.

There had been a lot of referrals for family support for mums with toddlers but we were being asked to help with things that had often started earlier with issues around perinatal mental health.

Issues that might have been picked up in pregnancy or the baby’s first year had been missed and we realised that particular support for mums at that particular time was missing.

We started perinatal befriending, offering new mums who might be struggling, a trained ear, someone to talk to. We started in Forth Valley and have gone on from strength to strength.

It was very much, let’s do it, let’s get it going, and it has been very successful, helping hundreds of mums and their babies through some really challenging times.

We work with the mums, being there for them, doing what they want, at their pace, and listening, always listening. Really listening, without judging, is the thing that builds trust and it’s trust that can make the difference. 

It isn’t as simple as it sounds. It is challenging but it works. We know because we chart progress, measure it, to make sure that, when we finish, our mums are empowered, ready to move on. 

It works and, at Aberlour, if it works we build on that.

Angie
Aberlour perinatal befriending co-ordinator

This article was written as part of the 'We are family' special edition supplement with the Sunday Post.