Who we are

Past Director of Perinatal Psychiatry at the Royal Hospital for Women and Director of St John of God Mother-Baby Unit.

“Mum for Mum provides a unique service that in my 30 years in the field I have seen many organisations strive for, but few able to achieve. This is weekly emotional support and mentoring by the same highly trained volunteer for an entire year. Given the vagaries of the health-care system, I know this is extremely hard to achieve.”

Prof Austin is the Director of the St John of God Health Care Chair Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health Research Unit, Sydney. She has a strong national and international profile in the field of perinatal mental health and is a lead researcher in studies examining the impact of stress in pregnancy on infant outcomes. Other work has focused on the development of a perinatal psychosocial risk questionnaire, and the evaluation of preventative psychological interventions and omega-3 treatment in pregnancy depression. Austin is working on the Australian Longitudinal Women’s Health Survey (ALWHS) with a particular focus on the relationship between childhood adverse events (eg. trauma) and perinatal maternal outcomes.

In 2007 Prof Austin led the development of the beyondblue National (Australian) Action Plan for Perinatal Mental Health; she went on to Chair the Expert Advisory Committee for the National Clinical Practice Guidelines for Depression and Related Disorders in the Perinatal Period (2011) demonstrating her commitment to improving the emotional health and wellbeing of Australian women and their families. She is a co-author on the psychiatric chapters of triennial reports of the National Advisory Committee for Maternal Mortality. Prof Austin’s publications have contributed internationally to the shift from a focus solely on postnatal depression to perinatal mood and related disorders at research, clinical and policy levels..

Founder and Executive Director, COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence

“Mum for Mum is a wonderful peer support model supporting mums at this highly vulnerable life stage. With women at greatest risk of experiencing emotional and mental health problems in the months following the birth of their baby, this community support that Mum for Mum provides is invaluable.”

Founder and Executive Director, Nicole was the former Deputy CEO and National Perinatal Advisor of beyondblue between 2001-2013. Her role in the perinatal area specifically included oversight of the National Research Program, advocacy, and the implementation of Australia’s $85M National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI). Other areas of specialisation within the perinatal field include consumer research, national community awareness campaigns, clinical guidelines and resource development, digital screening and research and advocacy to inform and guide policy and best practice. Her leadership and strong commitment to perinatal mental health has resulted in the formal establishment of COPE in 2013.

https://www.cope.org.au/

Advocate for migrant and refugee women Australian of the Year – Local Hero 2021

“Mum for Mum shares our belief of the power of loving connection - empowering women and ensuring that they don't feel they have to do it alone, even when they are isolated and have no families.”

Rosemary Kariuki is the multicultural community liaison officer for the Parramatta Police. She specialises in helping migrants who are facing domestic violence, language barriers and financial distress.

Fleeing Kenya alone in 1999 to escape family abuse and tribal clashes, her early years in Australia were terribly lonely. Her experience helped Rosemary recognise that isolation is a huge issue for many migrant women. Many aren’t used to going out alone, have no transport and speak little or no English. So Rosemary devised ways to help women leave their house and meet women in similar circumstances.

In partnership with the African Women’s Group, she helped start the African Women’s Dinner Dance. Now in its 14th year, more than 400 women attend the annual event. She also started the African Village Market – a program to help migrants and refugees start their own businesses – which ran for four years.

Rosemary’s warmth, courage and kindness inspire all who meet her.

Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician, Past Clinical Director of the Northern Beaches Child and Family Health Services

“Mum for Mum is a special organisation that provides an essential service to parents of newborn babies. Arriving home with a new baby is often a very daunting experience for parents many of whom descend into anxiety and depression overwhelmed by the task of caring for this vulnerable demanding new life. Knowing that a trained volunteer mother will be coming to spend time with you each week is often a lifeline that helps keep many parents afloat."

The research on volunteer home visiting is very strong demonstrating the effectiveness of this support together with other supports in the community. We also know that how a parent talks to, holds and interacts with their baby in the first year of life is sculpting the baby’s brain. Vulnerable parents need as much support as is possible to ensure that their babies have the best start in life and Mum for Mum and their volunteers are an important resource to provide some of this support.

The testimonials from very grateful mothers who have received home visiting from a Mum for Mum volunteer are heart-warming to read. It is a very well-run organisation. The isolation imposed by Covid and lockdown makes this service even more important in these challenging times.”

Specialising in behavioural and developmental paediatric health issues, paediatrician Dr Michael Zilibowitz has seen an increase of children and families seeking help over the past four decades as more present with mental health, behavioural and neurological conditions. He has been described by his colleagues as instrumental in the early endorsement and pioneering of the First 1000 days and now First 2000 days, where the relationship and wellbeing of a child from conception to five years old is crucial for their wellbeing later in life.

Psychologist, Author, Honorary Professor at The University of Sydney’s Body, Heart and Mind in Business Research Group, and Visiting Professorial Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney

“I am a huge admirer of Mum for Mum, both because of the extraordinary support it provides to new parents, and because of the high quality of the training offered to the volunteers. It is rare to see a program which so effectively puts into practise the principles of our findings in the field of Positive Psychology. The Mum for Mum model embodies mindful practice, kindness, compassion, and deep connection. My fellow academics and I have demonstrated that these practices have a causal link to the thriving of individuals, families, and communities. There is no doubt that the connection created between volunteers and new parents can be profound and life-changing. I believe it also has the scope to be scaled up, and very much hope that Mum for Mum will have the opportunity to expand its reach.”

Professor Huppert is a psychologist with a long-standing research interest in the science of well-being and the promotion of human flourishing. Her work brings together approaches from cognitive psychology and neuropsychology with a population perspective derived from epidemiology. Felicia has advised governments and international bodies on the measurement of well-being, and on policies to enhance well-being. She spends part of the year in the UK, where she is Founding Director of the Well-being Institute at the University of Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Psychology.

https://feliciahuppert.com/