Free mental health support for pregnant people and new parents

Schools are asked to share this flyer with their community

Feeling anxious or low?

Free mental health support is available for pregnant people and new parents with children aged 0-2.

Sending a message with the word ‘HUG’ to 85258 will start an anonymous text conversation with a trained Shout Volunteer.

They can help with issues such as:

• Stress
• Worry
• Loneliness
• Relationship problems
• Self-harm
• Panic attacks
• Suicidal thoughts
• Feeling depressed

“ Shout helped turn a night of worry and guilt into a peaceful, calming evening for myself and my partner.” Shout texter feedback

What is SHOUT about?

In May 2024, together with the charity SHOUT and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), West London NHS Trust launched a two-year pilot project, providing a free, confidential 24/7 text support service to the above identified groups across the three boroughs.

Pregnant women / birthing people, new parents with babies and toddlers up to the age of two, and those who have experienced baby loss, or pregnancy loss (including termination for any reason) can now text the word HUG to 85258 if they are struggling to cope or need help “in the moment.”

Local parents and service users who worked with us on this project have said it is a necessary resource for a generation which routinely uses short electronic messages, or text messages to communicate.

More than a quarter of new and expectant parents in the UK experience what’s called perinatal mental health problems, which can occur during pregnancy or in the first two years after a baby’s birth. Pregnant women / birthing people can develop mental ill health for the first time during pregnancy or after giving birth, and pre-existing mental health conditions can sometimes worsen at any time during the perinatal period.