Toolkit for improving inclusion and access to perinatal and maternal mental health services for the Gypsy and Traveller community
This toolkit has been developed by Thrive by Design through collaboration and extensive engagement with the Gypsy and Traveller community in West Yorkshire, Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Leeds GATE), the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership and perinatal and maternal services across the region. This toolkit was an output of the collaboration between 2023-2024 which focused on:
Improving awareness of perinatal mental health in the Gypsy and Traveller community
Building confidence in accessing or asking for help
Building relationships that enable a co-production approach
Building relationships to better understand how services can continue to work with the Gypsy and Traveller community
You can find information about the wider collaboration and project under ‘reports and project documentation’ below.
About this toolkit
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The tools within this toolkit were created to support perinatal and maternal mental health services when engaging with and supporting people from the Gypsy and Traveller community. It may also be beneficial for wider mental health services and wider health and care services whilst keeping in mind that the resources are based on working closely with females (mums) within the community. The toolkit was developed with and for West Yorkshire but may have relevance across other regions in the UK.
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It offers context, ways of working, tips and recommendations for service improvements so that what you offer is inclusive to the Gypsy and Traveller community.
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The toolkit includes how to better engage the community, how to provide information that is accessible and various short term and long term recommendations. Use it as suggestions and guides whilst building your own relationships and generating service improvements that are appropriate for the people you are working with.
Tools and resources
Signposts
💡 Leeds GATE training (TBC)
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How the toolkit was developed
Pre-discovery
A review of the literature, locally and nationally and exploratory workshops with services and practitioners to understand the context, as well as relationship building
Define
An iterative process of synthesising and analysing insights and findings to define themes for ideas, recommendations or potential projects to be established
Discovery
A mix of engagement methods including informal visits and outreach, wellbeing days, craft workshops, interviews and surveys with staff and the community
Design
Taking themes, insights and findings and turning them into recommendations and guidelines, thinking about immediate and longer term changes that can be made
Reports and project documentation
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about this toolkit or the work that supported development of the toolkit, please get in touch with the Thrive by Design team by emailing thrivebydesign.lypft@nhs.net.
Support
Together with Leeds GATE and the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, we can offer support using the toolkit, or alternative formats where requested.
Feedback
If you have feedback to help us improve the toolkit, please complete the following form. This form will be available until the 1st of April 2025.
