Unit Outline

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health unit will address the context within which mental illness occurs in the perinatal period. You will develop an understanding of perinatal anxiety, depression and serious mental illness and the impact these disorders may have in terms of obstetric and neonatal outcomes. You will explore how mental health conditions and psychosocial adversity can influence parenting, parent-infant interaction, and later childhood emotional, behavioural and cognitive development. You will also develop an understanding of the importance of early attachment and psychological and neurological development in infancy. This unit will provide you with knowledge and skills in the early screening of mental illness, and an understanding of the care and support required by parents and their families and the appropriate pathways and treatment options.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Distinguish between the range of mental health conditions which may occur in the perinatal period and their effects on parent, infant and family.
2.	Explore ways of supporting perinatal and infant mental health, including screening, early intervention and treatment.
3.	Recognise the critical role of early attachment relationships in infant development.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Learning materials were redeveloped for delivery in 2024.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Online discussion	Week 4	15 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Case Study	Week 8	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Case Study	Week 13	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Online discussion

Task Description:

In this assessment task, you will explore attitudes toward mental illness in the perinatal period.

Task Length:

500 words

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

15 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critically reflect on how attitudes toward perinatal mental illness influence care.	LO1, LO2
2	Respond to fellow learners, relating the discussion to relevant unit content.	LO1, LO2
3	Communicate clearly and succinctly using the current APA Style.	LO1

Assessment Task 2: Case Study

Task Description:

In this assessment task, you are required to examine perinatal mental health conditions and the role of screening in care provision.

Task Length:

1600 words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critically examine contextual factors influencing perinatal mental health.	LO1, LO3
2	Critically examine the role of screening in the care of perinatal mental health.	LO1, LO2
3	Communicate clearly and succinctly using the current APA Style.	LO1, LO2

Assessment Task 3: Case Study

Task Description:

In this assessment task, you will examine mental health related factors influencing the infant-parent relationship and their impact on the infant’s emotional, social and behavioural development.

Task Length:

1800 words

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explore how mental health conditions in the perinatal period affect the parent-infant relationship.	LO1, LO3
2	Critically examine contextual factors influencing infant mental health.	LO2, LO3
3	Critically examine the significant role of early attachment relationships in infant development.	LO3
4	Communicate clearly and succinctly using the current APA Style.	LO1, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.