PANDA Week

Tell someone who cares

2020 brings the 15th annual PANDA Week. Since 2005 PANDA has been leading the perinatal mental health sector in promoting the Week to raise awareness about perinatal anxiety and depression, including signs to look for and where to go to seek support.

In this most unusual and difficult year we firmly believe that PANDA Week it is more important than ever. With many expecting and new parents struggling due to COVID-19 and associated restrictions, it’s critical that we work together to support families facing mental health challenges at this time.

Our theme for PANDA Week 2020 is ‘Tell someone who cares’.

What does ‘Tell someone who cares’ mean?

This year, more than ever it’s vital that expecting and new parents who are struggling know they’re not alone and can reach out for help. And just as importantly, they can know that when they do reach out, they will be supported by those they confide in, whether family members, health professionals, PANDA or other perinatal mental health specialists.

What will we be working together to achieve this PANDA Week?

• To enable people who face unique challenges in becoming parents to access the support they need for their mental wellbeing, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) parents, and parents in low socio-economic communities and rural and remote communities.
• To highlight the fact that not all expecting and new parents who need support are able to access it, and working together toward a solution.
• To provide the tools expecting and new parents need in order to successfully find support for their mental wellbeing.
• To provide health professionals with information and language that will allow them to support the mental health of their clients just as much as they do their physical health.

How can you get involved?

You can help by sharing our information and stories with your networks, and helping us build a groundswell of support for making things better for vulnerable expecting and new parents across Australia, would greatly support the work we are doing at PANDA.

Another fantastic way to get involved is to host a fundraising event. If that is something you’d like to do you can submit an expression of interest here. Sign up to our email list for PANDA Week 2020 updates.

Thinking about hosting an event for PANDA Week 2020? Submit an expression of interest here.