The iHV Perinatal & Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Champions Programme Evaluation was conducted in collaboration with the University of Kent and funded by The AIM Foundation.
Since 2017, the iHV has offered a multi-agency PIMH Champions training programme which is benchmarked against national standards and competency frameworks, is accredited externally by the Continuing Professional Development Standards Office, and has received national and international recognition. There are currently 4,670 Champions trained across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Portugal.
iHV PIMH Champions are place-based leaders who seek opportunities to build advocacy for, and deepen understanding of, perinatal and infant mental health. They have relevant clinical experience and a robust knowledge of the latest evidence base relating to PIMH. They are equipped to deliver training, influence stakeholders and services around the needs of families, identify local gaps in services, and improve support available.
The iHV research team, led by Dr Sharin Baldwin, conducted a three-part evaluation that included:
- Analysis of pre- and post-training data across different training formats
- An online survey completed by 111 Champions from across the UK
- Thirteen in-depth qualitative interviews supplemented by three case studies
Reflecting the views of a total of 2,151 participants, the evaluation shows that the Programme enhances practitioners’ understanding and capacity to support families, while fostering leadership, advocacy, and system-wide change throughout the UK.