PANDA Week 2019

Perinatal anxiety and depression is costing Australia $877 million annually according to a PwC analysis prepared for Gidget Foundation Australia and the Perinatal Mental Health Consortium. This is supported by the findings of the recent National Working Families survey undertaken by Parents At Work and Karitane, where 60% of parents and carers reported finding it difficult to look after their physical and mental health as they juggle work and family commitments and one-third noted the combination of work and family responsibilities contributed to stress and tension in relationships with their partners and children.

Karitane, Parents At Work and Gidget Foundation Australia collectively support families during this critical time and are calling on business, government and community leaders to unite and promote the importance of family-friendly workplace policies by investing in measures that support employees with caring responsibilities. Karitane CEO Grainne O’Loughlin, says "We know that the first 2,000 days shape a child’s future, during this time children develop many of the skills and abilities that help them grow into healthy, productive adults. Bonded attachment, where a child feels a strong positive connection with a parent or caregiver, is critical for a child’s brain development, their ability to form relationships and is proven to improve education outcomes as well as reduce the risk of mental illness later in life."

This week Women’s Agenda published an article shining a light on the cost of perinatal anxiety and depression and highlighting the magnitude of the crisis at hand. You can read the article here: https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/the-cost-of-perinatal-depression-economically-is-huge-ethically-its-inconceivable/