Very often young mothers run through a post-natal depression without knowing it. They blame themselves for having no intensive mother feeling towards the baby. This makes the situation even worse. They often hide their feelings and are stuck in their isolation.
Those families should have the opportunity to get voluntary help. A ten-week training programme is fine for the volunteer as well as the possibility to ask a co-ordinator if difficult situation and question arise.

The personal contact to experienced person has an therapeutical effect on the difficult situation of young parenthood. It may prevent them from stress-reactions which may harm the baby.
In German there is an association called “Kinderschutzbund”. They arrange dress- and game-markets, sport-events for children and the so-called “Sorgentelefon”. “Die Nummer gegen Kummer” (i.e. “The number against grief”) is advertised in buses and trams and children are advised to call this number when they need help. The volunteers, who answer the telephone, get a twelve-week-training.
The problem is that more and more phone-calls are a joke and a fake. Sometimes the volunteer needs a long time to find this out…

The German association “Kinderschutzbund” should implement “Home Start” in their programme!

Brigitte Höfer Vile ev.