Building Better Beginnings: Helping NSPCC Explore Scaling Early Mental Health Support
We’re delighted to share that we have been commissioned by the NSPCC to deliver a new research project supporting the potential scale-up of their Pregnancy in Mind (PiM) service.
Pregnancy in Mind is an early intervention service aimed at supporting expectant parents experiencing or at risk of mild to moderate anxiety and depression during pregnancy. Grounded in evidence and therapeutic techniques, PiM is already being delivered across many parts of the UK. The service is designed to reduce the risk of postnatal mental health problems and improve bonding between parents and their babies.
The NSPCC is now exploring the feasibility of scaling PiM into local authorities, healthcare systems, and voluntary sector organisations across the UK. To support this ambition, we have been appointed to deliver a detailed feasibility study.
Sophie Bell, Associate Head of Development & Implementation at the NSPCC, said of the project: “Commissioning MEL Research to support the direction of scaling of our Pregnancy in Mind service is a milestone in ensuring more babies and families benefit from this programme. Their insights will be invaluable in helping us grow our reach and impact, and further our commitment to supporting early intervention for parents during pregnancy.”
Rhiannon Pratt, Research Manager, at M·E·L Research said of the project: “We’re really pleased to be working with the NSPCC on such an important project. Pregnancy in Mind is a well-regarded, evidence-based intervention, and this work is about understanding where and how it could make a wider impact. By mapping existing services and identifying the gaps, we hope to provide clear, actionable insights to support the NSPCC’s decision-making around potential scale-up. We’re especially keen to collaborate with organisations already working in this space to make sure the findings reflect the full picture.”
The aims of the project
The research will help the NSPCC understand:
Whether there is sufficient demand across the UK to enable PiM to scale beyond the organisation
What systems and referral pathways exist to support delivery and uptake
Where there is appetite and capacity to contribute to the growing evidence base around PiM and early years mental health
What we’ll be doing
Our work will combine desk-based and secondary research with consultation across local authorities, NHS services (midwifery and health visiting), and third sector organisations working in the perinatal mental health space.
We’ll be investigating key questions such as:
Who currently delivers mild to moderate perinatal mental health services in the UK?
Are those interventions evidence-based?
How are they delivered and funded?
What referral pathways exist, and what are the barriers to access?
Where are the gaps – either geographically, demographically or thematically?
Who is best placed to deliver a service like PiM at scale?
The findings will feed into a comprehensive briefing for NSPCC decision-makers, including a slide deck with insights, a mapping of existing services, and clear recommendations to inform the next stage of strategic planning.
Why this matters
Mental health support during the perinatal period is a vital but often under-resourced area of early intervention. By better understanding the current landscape, gaps in provision, and the infrastructure needed to deliver PiM more widely, this research will support the NSPCC’s ambition to reach more families in need of preventative mental health support during pregnancy.
How to get involved
If you or your organisation are involved in perinatal mental health services or have data, insights, or experience that could help inform this project, we’d love to hear from you.
Please get in touch with Rhiannon Pratt at M·E·L Research to share documents, data, or arrange a more in-depth conversation: rhiannon.pratt@melresearch.co.uk
We’re keen to work collaboratively to build a full picture of the opportunities and challenges in this space.
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