The iHV Perinatal & Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Champions Programme Evaluation is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Kent and funded by The AIM Foundation.
Since 2017, the iHV has offered a multi-agency PIMH Champions training programme which is benchmarked against national standards and competency frameworks, is accredited externally by the Continuing Professional Development Standards Office, and has received national and international recognition. There are currently 4670 Champions trained across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Portugal (see Figure 1).
iHV PIMH Champions are place-based leaders who seek opportunities to build advocacy for, and deepen understanding of, perinatal and infant mental health. They have relevant clinical experience and a robust knowledge of the latest evidence base relating to PIMH. They are equipped to deliver training, influence stakeholders and services around the needs of families, identify local gaps in services, and improve support available.
To date, the extent of the impact of the programme on the Champion, and the resultant impact of the Champion role on the wider PIMH system, has not been evaluated. This mixed methods study is being conducted between November 2024 and September 2025.
The aim of the study is to evaluate the process, impact and outcomes of the iHV Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Programme.
The objectives are to:
- Ascertain if the shifts in learning, when the training is delivered by Champions, is consistent with those when the training is delivered by iHV facilitators
- Establish the fidelity of the cascade delivery by Champions
- Describe the impact of the programme on the Champion
- Describe the impact of the Champion role on the wider PIMH system
- Identify barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of the PIMH Champions Programme
Figure 1. Development of the PIMH Champions Programme
