Skip to content

Research project offers parenting workshops for African and Caribbean mothers struggling with mental health

African and Caribbean mothers across the UK are being invited to take part in an online parenting course as part of research by Nottingham Trent University.

    Baby
    The workshops are aimed at parents and carers of children aged 0 - 3 years

    The programme has been devised following studies by Dr Dung Jidong, senior lecturer in Psychology at NTU’s School of Social Sciences, which highlighted the significant gaps in support available to African and Caribbean communities struggling with their mental health in the UK.

    It comprises an online intervention called Learning Through Play plus Culturally adapted Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (LTP+CaCBT), specifically designed for treating postnatal depression among African and Caribbean mothers and improving their children's wellbeing.

    The course focuses on parenting training and takes place over 12 one-hour sessions online. It is open to mothers or female carers from a UK African and/or Caribbean descent, age 18 years and above, who care for a child between 0 – 3 years and are experiencing emotional challenges due to childbirth or parenting

    Dr Dung Jidong said: “These communities are largely ignored in policy, provision, and practice, and there is a clear need to improve their service provisions and healthcare policy. Through this programme we will test the feasibility, cultural appropriateness and acceptability of the intervention.

    “There is potential to scale up the project and consider how this pilot can influence and inform similar projects in different countries – although it must be stressed that these intervention materials have to be culturally appropriate to the communities they will support”.

    The project will run as a pilot through to summer 2023. Eligible participants could receive up to £120 Amazon vouchers for 12 sessions of weekly parenting training lasting approximately 45-60 minutes per session.

    An online recruitment event will commence from Wednesday 22 September, 5-6pm, and take place every fortnight at the same time until January 2022, accessible via this Teams link. To sign up and check if you are eligible for the study, please complete the short survey. For further information email Dr Dung Jidong

    • Notes for editors

      Press enquiries please contact Helen Breese, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8751, or via email.

      About Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students.

      NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

      The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

      It is one of the largest UK universities. With over 37,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University injects £1.6bn into the UK economy. It has been the largest recruiter of UK undergraduates in each of the last four years. With an international student population of more than 6,000 and an NTU community representing around 160 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook.

      The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was awarded University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2019.

    Published on 17 September 2021
    • Category: Press office; Research; School of Social Sciences