| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Perinatal and Infant Mental Health 2 |
| Unit ID: | HEALP6202 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Perinatal and infant mental health is an interdisciplinary field focused on parent wellbeing and the social, emotional and cognitive development of infants from birth to three years. This unit introduces students to common presentations of compromised mental health in the perinatal period including anxiety, depression and trauma. Management of these conditions including screening, pharmacology and evidence based interventions and the impact on women and their families will be explored. Adjustment to parenting and adjustment disorders are also identified. There is a focus on infant attachment, attachment theory, and the neurobiology of infant brain development which demonstrates the long-term impact this has upon a child’s ongoing relationships and experiences |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | |  | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Explore perinatal mental health and emotional well being and its impact upon family and infant development |
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| K2. | Discuss basic symptomatology in mental health conditions prevalent during the perinatal period, including medication management for common perinatal mental health and illness issues |
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| K3. | Identify key theoretical frameworks influential in facilitating diagnosis and management of perinatal and infant mental health disorders |
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| K4. | Describe a range of screening tools and their application in mental health assessments |
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| K5. | Examine the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding mental health care |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Foster partnerships in care with women and their families and advocate for their right to choice and self-determination, and their inherent capacity for recovery |
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| S2. | Using a variety of screening tools undertake mental health and risk assessment, and psychosocial screening of women during pregnancy and families in the perinatal period. |
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| S3. | Work collaboratively as a perinatal and infant mental health worker in a multidisciplinary team with a professional approach to treatment and recovery |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Demonstrate advanced interpersonal and therapeutic communication skills when working with women experiencing emotional or psychological challenges |
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| A2. | Conduct and interpret mental health assessment and risk in addition to psychosocial screening tools commonly used in the perinatal period |
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| A3. | Utilise critical thinking, problem solving and reflective practice skills to provide culturally safe woman/family centred care to women and their families experiencing mental health challenges in the perinatal period |
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| A4. | Evaluate the role of the perinatal mental health professional with respect to multidisciplinary collaboration and in the broader context of public and primary health care provision |
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| A5. | Apply reflective thinking and critical analysis to perinatal and infant mental health contexts and demonstrate a sound understanding of the legislation, ethical codes and professional guidelines that direct professional practice |
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| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2014); NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2022); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018), Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014), NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2020); NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses (2018) and Code of Ethics for nurses (2012) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. Modules Unit content Overview of mental health, wellness and illness Core concepts of mental health and mental illness in parents and infants: Mental health as a public health issue Cultural perspectives of mental health Fundamental recovery oriented care Models of recovery and recovery orientated practice Legal, ethical and practice standards in perinatal mental health Examination of: Practice standards in mental health Ethical decision making frameworks Child Protection legislation and mandatory reporting Biopsychosocial model: identify barriers and enablers to optimum perinatal mental health Social capital, individual, social and environmental risk Vulnerable groups Family violence Migrant/refugee health Birth trauma Family history Grief and loss Assisted reproductive technology Drug and alcohol use Mental health diagnostics and management Mental health conditions commonly occurring in the perinatal period including therapeutic interventions and psychopharmacology Screening and care of women/families at risk Application of screening tools Adjustment and transition to parenting Psychological, emotional, cognitive, socio-cultural, relational transitions Adjustment to parenting Adjustment disorders Paternal/partner mental health Important theoretical approaches informing care and interventions Attachment theory and the neurobiology of brain development Practical skill sessions necessary to promote perinatal and infant mental health, recovery and well being Mental state examination Risk assessment Regulating emotions Therapeutic relationships / Motivational interviewing Perinatal psychosocial screening |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, A1, A2, A3 |
Theoretical concepts, knowledge and skills required in caring for women experiencing perinatal mental health issues |
Online Activities |
40-60% |
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| 2. |
K1, K3, K5, S3, A1, A3, A4, A5 |
Critically discuss research informing current best practice guidelines in perinatal and infant mental health |
Written Task |
40-60% |
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