Welcome to Life - helping babies and their mentally ill mothers

Project owner: Verein JOJO - Kindheit im Schatten

Responsible person: Heidemarie Eher, MBA, BA, BSc

2013

Nominated

AT

Civil Society / Social Economy

What is it about?

A multi-professional team consisting of a midwife, psychologist, paediatrician and social worker provides support to mothers who suffer from mental illness. The support is preventative, personalized, based on outreach and continual until the child turns three years old. The mothers, who are often raising the child alone, are strengthened and provided relief at an early stage, i.e. even before giving birth. This permits a stable social network for the family and a secure bond between the mother and infant to emerge. The baby can only develop healthily if the family system is not overwhelmed.