PIRI: Parent-Infant Research Institute, 300 Waterdale Road, Heidelberg (2026)

17/03/2026

Support during pregnancy and preparation for parenthood

Pregnancy is a period of significant psychological and relational transition. Alongside anticipation and planning, many women experience anxiety, low mood or heightened stress.

PIRI offers a range of evidence-based programs to support emotional wellbeing during pregnancy, spanning prevention, early intervention and structured treatment.

Our antenatal and preparation programs include:

💻 Mum2BMoodBooster
Online CBT-based treatment for depression and anxiety during pregnancy.

📱 MindMum App
Early support for managing mood, stress and emotional wellbeing.

📘 Towards Parenthood
Practical preparation and emotional support for the transition to parenthood.

🌱 Baby Steps
Everyday support for adjustment, wellbeing and confidence in early parenthood.

🛡 Beating the Blues before Birth
Early intervention program for antenatal depression.

These programs are grounded in rigorous research and designed to complement clinical care across maternity, primary care and mental health settings.

Explore PIRI’s treatment programs and referral pathways:
https://www.piri.org.au/piris-treatment-programs/

15/03/2026

Support for postnatal depression and anxiety after birth

The postnatal period is a time of significant psychological and relational adjustment. For some parents, this includes the onset or escalation of depression and anxiety.

PIRI offers a suite of evidence-based programs to support families after birth, spanning early intervention through to structured treatment.

Our postnatal programs include:

💻 MumMoodBooster
Online CBT-based treatment for postnatal depression and anxiety.

👨‍👧 DadBooster
Structured online treatment program supporting fathers’ mental health.

📱 MindMum App
Early support for managing mood, stress and emotional wellbeing.

🛡 Getting Ahead of PND
Early intervention program for mothers at risk of postnatal depression.

👥 Overcoming Depression
Structured group treatment for postnatal depression.

These programs are grounded in research and designed to integrate with clinical care across primary, maternity and mental health settings.

Explore PIRI’s treatment programs and referral pathways:
https://www.piri.org.au/piris-treatment-programs/

12/03/2026

Supporting parents and infants during pregnancy and early parenthood requires access to reliable, evidence-based tools.

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we work closely with health professionals to strengthen assessment, referral pathways and intervention options across the perinatal period.

Our dedicated Health Professionals section brings together practical resources to support day-to-day clinical work, including:

🧭 A stepped-care model of programs

🔁 Referral pathways to MumMoodBooster, Mum2BMoodBooster, DadBooster and MumSpace

📊 Guidance on interpreting and acting on screening results

🏥 Information about clinical services and accredited providers

💻 Access to digital programs and current trials

🎓 Workshops, training opportunities and downloadable resources

All content is grounded in PIRI’s research and clinical expertise and aligned with contemporary perinatal mental health practice.

Whether you are working in primary care, maternity services, mental health, community health or private practice, our aim is to support you with practical, scalable tools that improve outcomes for parents and infants.

Explore resources for health professionals:
https://www.piri.org.au/resources-for-health-professionals/

10/03/2026

Becoming a parent can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. Many families experience periods of uncertainty, stress or emotional exhaustion during pregnancy and the early years.

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we recognise that support needs vary. Some parents benefit from clear, practical information. Others may require structured online programs, group-based interventions, or specialist clinical support alongside digital tools.

Our approach is to provide flexible, evidence-based options so parents can access the right level of care at the right time.

PIRI’s suite of supports includes:

✅ Evidence-based online treatments such as MumMoodBooster, Mum2BMoodBooster and DadBooster

✅ Targeted prevention programs including PREP

✅ Relationship-focused interventions such as Circle of Security Parenting

✅ Group and individual programs for postnatal depression

✅ Specialist Infant Clinic services during pregnancy and the first two years

✅ Parent resources, workshops and workforce education

Across all programs, our focus remains consistent: strengthening parental mental health, supporting early relationships, and improving developmental outcomes.

We continue to work alongside health professionals to ensure our programs are practical, accessible and aligned with real-world service delivery.

Learn more about PIRI’s support for parents:
https://www.piri.org.au/support-for-parents/

08/03/2026

For more than two decades, the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) has combined basic and applied research to strengthen perinatal mental health care and early parent–infant relationships.

Our research spans antenatal and postnatal depression and anxiety, paternal wellbeing, prematurity and early developmental outcomes, infant mental health, and the neurobiological foundations of early relationships.

PIRI has a strong track record in designing and evaluating interventions through rigorous randomised controlled trials. Our work has generated world-first findings, including evidence for effective online psychological treatments for postnatal depression (MumMoodBooster), interventions improving brain connectivity in premature infants (Premiestart), and antenatal treatment approaches associated with improved infant developmental outcomes.

We have also led large-scale screening and implementation research, including studies involving more than 40,000 women, and played a central role in shaping national screening policy and workforce training. This body of work contributed to the National Perinatal Depression Initiative and Australia’s universal perinatal screening framework.

Across all programs and studies, our focus remains consistent: translating robust research into practical, scalable interventions that improve outcomes for parents and infants.

Learn more about PIRI’s research and impact:
https://www.piri.org.au/

06/03/2026

Why was PIRI developed? Because the earliest years matter.

PIRI was established in response to compelling evidence that early life experiences, parental mental health, and prematurity have profound and lasting effects on children’s development, yet timely, evidence-based supports for families were often fragmented or limited.

The first years of life are a period of rapid brain development. During this time, infants are entirely dependent on caregivers, and early relational experiences shape neural connections that influence cognitive, emotional and behavioural outcomes across the lifespan. Secure attachment, caregiver sensitivity and reduced parental stress are not “soft” variables. They are foundational determinants of long-term wellbeing.

In Australia, more than 300,000 babies are born each year. Around 60,000 mothers experience perinatal depression or anxiety, with significant associated impacts on children and families. Economic modelling estimates substantial lifetime costs, largely driven by long-term child outcomes.

The evidence is clear. Early intervention is both clinically necessary and economically responsible.

For over 24 years, the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) has focused on strengthening early environments through research, program development and implementation of evidence-based perinatal mental health interventions.

Investing in the earliest years is an investment in lifelong outcomes.

Learn more about our work:
https://www.piri.org.au/

04/03/2026

Investing in the earliest years to build a brighter future

The first years of life are foundational for long-term health and development. Yet perinatal mental health challenges remain significantly under-treated in Australia.

Each year, around one in five women experience perinatal anxiety or depression. Up to half go undiagnosed, and only a small proportion receive appropriate support. One in ten new fathers are also affected.

Early intervention is critical, not only to reduce immediate distress, but to mitigate longer-term impacts on parent-infant relationships, child development and family wellbeing.

For more than 24 years, the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) has been dedicated to advancing perinatal mental health through rigorous research and evidence-based early intervention programs.

Our nationally accredited digital treatments, including MumMoodBooster and Mum2BMoodBooster (via MumSpace) and DadBooster (via DadSpace), provide structured, CBT-based support for parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety.

We remain committed to strengthening the systems that support families during this crucial transition.

Learn more about our work and programs:
https://www.piri.org.au/

03/03/2026

Supporting parents during the perinatal period requires evidence-based, scalable and accessible solutions.

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we develop and evaluate digital mental health programs designed to support mothers and fathers experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety.

Our programs, including MumMoodBooster and DadBooster, are grounded in cognitive behavioural therapy and have been rigorously researched and evaluated in Australian populations. We are proud that our programs meet the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards, reflecting our commitment to safety, clinical governance and quality improvement.

To date, thousands of Australian parents have accessed PIRI programs as part of their care.

We work closely with health professionals across primary care, maternity, mental health and community services to ensure our programs are accessible, practical and aligned with real-world service delivery.

If you are supporting parents during the transition to parenthood, we invite you to explore our programs and referral pathways.

Learn more about PIRI and our evidence-based programs here:
https://www.piri.org.au/piris-treatment-programs/

23/02/2026

Over the last 24 years, the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) has been dedicated to advancing mental health during the crucial early years of life.

Through international research, evidence-based early intervention programs, and strong service partnerships, we have supported thousands of Australian parents and infants during pregnancy and the postnatal period.

PIRI delivers digital mental health programs that are accredited under the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards, reinforcing our commitment to safe, high-quality care.

Digital services offer convenient and effective ways for consumers, carers, and families to access support, whether they live in regional areas, need flexibility around work and parenting, or prefer private, self-directed options.

Programs such as MumMoodBooster, Mum2BMoodBooster and DadBooster, alongside the stepped-care resources available via MumSpace and DadSpace, reflect more than two decades of rigorous research and translation into practice.

As demand for accessible perinatal mental health support continues to grow, the focus remains clear: maintain quality, protect trust, and ensure evidence informs every stage of development and delivery.

After 24 years, the commitment is not only to innovate, but to embed research-driven care where families need it most.

🔗 MumSpace: https://www.mumspace.com.au/
🔗 DadSpace: https://www.dadspace.com.au/

09/02/2026

Join our peer-led perinatal mental health group meeting

We are excited to invite you to our next STePPS CRE Peer-Led Group meeting, to be held on Wednesday 25 February at 8:00 am AEDT. Please check your local time if you are joining from outside Australia.

Marketa Ciharova, an early career researcher with STePPS CRE, will present her project on individual participant data meta-analysis of digital perinatal depression interventions.

If you would like to attend, please register via the link below. After registering, you will receive an email from Zoom with your individual access link.

We look forward to seeing you.

Check your local time:
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20260225T210000&p1=152&p2=250&p3=16&p4=136

Register to attend:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/5PFoP-rfStWolne-gxO5ag #/registration

28/01/2026

Supporting someone through pregnancy or early parenthood can be hard too.

Partners, family members, friends, and carers play a vital role when a woman is struggling during pregnancy or after having a baby, but they are often unsure how best to help, or how to look after themselves along the way.

MumMoodBooster and Mum2BMoodBooster are free, confidential, nationally accredited, evidence-based online treatment programs for women experiencing perinatal depression.

These programs also include dedicated support information for partners and carers, with practical guidance to help you understand perinatal depression, support recovery, care for yourself, and navigate early parenthood together.

If you are supporting someone who may be struggling, you can play an important role by encouraging her to consider MumMoodBooster or Mum2BMoodBooster as a trusted treatment option.

Learn more about the programs and how they can help:
https://www.mumspace.com.au/online-treatments/

15/01/2026

Feeling low after having a baby is more common than many people realise, and support is available.

MumMoodBooster is a free online program that helps women experiencing postnatal depression. It includes six guided sessions based on cognitive behavioural therapy and can be done at home, at your own pace.

The program is developed by the Parent-Infant Research Institute and is accredited to the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards.

Learn more or get started here:
👉 www.mumspace.com.au/online-treatments

PIRI: Parent-Infant Research Institute

17/03/2026

15/03/2026

12/03/2026

10/03/2026

08/03/2026

06/03/2026

04/03/2026

03/03/2026

23/02/2026

09/02/2026

28/01/2026

15/01/2026

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