PREGNANCY TO PARENTHOOD
Alleviating the suffering of antenatal and post-natal depression for parents and babies
While in theory, it should be the happiest of moments in any woman’s life, the sad reality experienced by thousands of mothers each year is that welcoming a new baby into the world triggers a period of enormous sadness, deep guilt and anxiety.
Pregnancy to Parenthood is a unique Western Australian program that provides a lifeline to parents facing what can be the darkest period of their lives and where assistance is often extremely difficult to access.
The Pregnancy to Parenthood Clinic (P2P) is a community-based early intervention service for families transitioning to parenthood and experiencing emotional difficulties.
P2P is also building workforce capacity by offering specialised interdisciplinary training, including post-graduate placements and modules in perinatal and infant mental health, along with clinical and reflective supervision.
With North and South Metropolitan clinics, as well as Regional clinics in Geraldton and Spalding, P2P is a multifaceted program that supports mums, dads, and children from pregnancy through to two years of age, aiming to prevent emotional problems in the early years that can often have devastating consequences for both parent and child.
And you only need to hear from those directly benefiting from the service to realise the enormous difference it is making in the lives of so many.
“Pregnancy to Parenthood saved my life — it made me a better mum to my two boys.” said one.
And from another: “The P2P Program saved the life of my baby and kept my family together through an incredibly rough time with post-natal depression.”
P2P Executive Director Rochelle Matacz said the program also serves as an important resource for a wide range of health and medical professionals, as well as for family members of new parents who often observe them in the depths of despair.
“One of the things that is unique to our approach is working with both the parent and child together with the ultimate objective to develop and sustain the bond of love that allows the child and the whole family to flourish — that is what success looks like to us.”
Rochelle said that with the support of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and other funding sources, P2P will continue to increase the scale of its services to meet the needs of families across Perth and into regional areas, providing a range of specialised, evidence-based clinic and home visiting services.
“Timely delivery of mental health support for those impacted by conditions like post-natal depression is just so critical, and we are incredibly keen to expand our services to accommodate this unmet need.”
For more information visit: Pregnancy To Parenthood
Published: June 2025