We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to access the early parenting centre at Tweddle.

Celeste is our first child. The early months were very challenging for us, as we worked through my birth trauma, difficulties with breastfeeding, some personal losses in the family and perinatal mental health challenges.

In early 2020 we reached out to Tweddle for support with Celeste’s sleeping. Celeste was taking a long time to settle in the evenings, waking often in the evening and having very short naps in the day.

My anxiety was through the roof, my husband and I were arguing often, I was frequently in tears and attempts to improve our daughter’s settling through strategies imparted to us from a private sleep consultant were not working for anyone. We were all distressed, tired and in need of help.

We were initially offered a day stay appointment at Tweddle and managed to get in fairly quickly by being on a cancellation list. The opportunity to have this flexible approach to get in faster was fantastic.

The support we received at day stay was really good, but it was far too short. The staff picked up very quickly that my levels of distress were high and fast tracked a referral to residential stay. In a matter of weeks we were heading in to attend a 4 night stay.

Tweddle welcomes the Productivity Commission Mental Health Inquiry findings and recommendations, especially the priority reforms that highlight the needs of parents with babies and young children.

The Productivity Commission’s Mental Health Inquiry found that Mental health underpins children’s and young people’s social and emotional development and their sense of wellbeing.

The report states that investing in the mental health of children and young people would deliver significant returns, for them, their family and the community. The commission’s final report suggesting changes could save $20 billion a year.

Aligning with Tweddle’s strategic purpose, the report prioritises a focus on prevention and early intervention to minimise the harm that mental illness can cause today and for generations.

Early Parenting services like Tweddle’s are a critical link in the screening of parent and infant mental health. The report outlines how the mental health of parents affects the social and emotional wellbeing of their children and how governments should take coordinated action to achieve universal screening for mental illness for all new parents.