The psychosocial support office for pregnant women and new mothers continues to operate at the Zhytomyr Regional Perinatal Center. This office provides informational, consultative, and psychological services by a social work specialist and a psychologist. These consultations are part of the “Minimum Package of Integrated Social Services for Families with Children” project, supported by UNICEF.
“We have resumed the operation of the psychosocial support office for pregnant women and new mothers within the new project. We understand the necessity of these services. Counseling women during pregnancy and after childbirth helps stabilize their psychological state, and supporting families with vulnerable children helps overcome life challenges. These services include not only consultations at the perinatal center but also referrals to the community where the client lives, ensuring they receive the necessary social services,” said Margarita Siranchuk, project and program manager of the NGO “In Touch Ukraine Foundation.”
Purpose of the Psychosocial Support Office
The main goal of the psychosocial support office is to provide psychological and informational consultations, social services, and support to alleviate psycho-emotional stress and improve the quality of life and social adaptation for:
- Pregnant women and their family members
- Families/persons of Ukrainian Defenders
- Women considering giving up their newborns
- Women who have lost a child
- Women with premature births
- Underage pregnant women/new mothers
- Women who are victims of domestic violence
- Women prone to substance abuse
- Other vulnerable groups
The Role of Psychosocial Support
Psychologist Lyudmyla Mostova emphasizes the interagency cooperation seen in the work of the psychosocial support office: “This is a clear example of interagency interaction, where the combined efforts of medical professionals, social workers, and psychologists are evident. Attention and collaboration of specialists improve the situation in each specific case. For instance, if a doctor notices the anxious state of a patient after childbirth, they inform the psychosocial support office. Then, the psychologist and social worker engage with the new mother. We analyze the life situation to identify various vulnerability factors within the family, addressing issues such as living conditions, family relationships, coping with loss, and other psychological traumas that affect the psycho-emotional and physiological state of the mother.”
This comprehensive approach allows doctors to focus on the health of the mother and newborn without being distracted by psychosocial issues. The psychologist ensures the stabilization of the mother’s psycho-emotional state, while the social worker addresses social and household issues and coordinates with the community for additional social services.
Achievements and Services
Since March, the specialists of the office have provided services to 89 women with 84 children. They have delivered 242 informational and consultative services, including 121 psychological consultations, and made 11 referrals for 11 women (with 16 children) to receive comprehensive social services in their communities.
The psychosocial support office operates three times a week according to a scheduled timetable at the Regional Perinatal Center (Zhytomyr, Romana Shukhevych Street, 2A). Appointments can be made by calling: (096) 960 11 48, (067) 335 90 05.
Services are available both at the psychosocial support office and mobile – directly in the wards.
Additional Information
The NGO “In Touch Ukraine Foundation” participates in the implementation of the “Minimum Package of Integrated Social Services for Families with Children” project, which focuses on developing social and medical services and establishing interagency cooperation to support families with children. This project is implemented by UNICEF with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the German Development Bank (KFW) in partnership with the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine, Social Synergy, and the Ukrainian Educational Platform.