PIRI: Parent-Infant Research Institute, 300 Waterdale Road, Melbourne (2025)

16/07/2025

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute, we’re dedicated to supporting expectant and new parents, as well as health professionals, in navigating the challenges of perinatal mental health.

That's why we’ve created the PIRI Download Portal — a one-stop shop for valuable, evidence-based resources to help you and those you support during the perinatal period.

Whether you’re looking for guides on perinatal anxiety and depression, resources for fathers, or tools for providing the best care, we’ve got you covered.

📥 What you can access:

Brochures, Guides & Flyers for parents and health professionals

MumSpace Digital Resources: A Stepped Care Approach for anxiety and depression support

DadSpace & DadBooster: Tailored support for fathers

👉 Download, print, share — these resources are designed for both personal use and to share with clients, patients, or loved ones who may benefit.

💡 Explore now: https://piri.au/downloads

16/07/2025

Worried if online parent-support tools are really safe? 🤔

At PIRI, safety and trust are our top priorities. That’s why every program we offer, MumSpace, MumMoodBooster and DadBooster, is:

✔️ Grounded in rigorous research
✔️ Proven effective in clinical trials
✔️ Accredited by the National Safety & Quality Digital Mental Health Standards
✔️ Free to access. Supported by funding from the Australian Government

Join thousands of families getting evidence-based support during the perinatal period.

👉 Click to learn more:
MumSpace: mumspace.com.au
MumMoodBooster: mumspace.com.au/online-treatments
DadBooster: dadspace.com.au/programs/dadbooster/

15/07/2025

Calling All Mums-to-Be & Health Professionals! 🤝

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we’re dedicated to turning cutting-edge science into real-world support for families. Our government-funded Beating the Blues Before Birth (BBB) Study is now open for recruitment, and we need you!

Why join?
🤰 It’s free – eight sessions of evidence-based CBT with a qualified psychologist
🤰 Improve your mood, manage stress, and boost resilience throughout pregnancy
🤰 Help shape future care for mums, babies, and dads in Australia

How it works:
– Click Register Now
– Complete a 2-minute sign-up form
– Receive a clinical telephone assessment

If eligible, you’ll be randomised to:
– 8 free CBT sessions OR
– Treatment as usual (with your own care team)

Find out more and join now https://www.piri.org.au/programs/beating-the-blues-before-birth-bbb-study/

👩‍⚕️ Health Professionals – please refer any pregnant clients experiencing low mood or anxiety. Your referral ensures women get assessed promptly and, if suitable, benefit from world-class CBT support.

👉 Simply complete our Clinician Referral Form and we’ll take care of the rest:
🔗 https://piri.au/bbb-clinician-referral-form

By joining the BBB Study, you’re not just getting support – you’re contributing to vital research in perinatal depression, infant development, and early parent-infant relationships. Let’s work together to make pregnancy a time of hope and wellbeing for every Australian family. 🌟

11/07/2025

Behind every PIRI program is something powerful: research that changes lives.

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we don't just support families, we build the evidence that drives better care for parents and infants.

Our research spans the full spectrum of the perinatal journey, with groundbreaking work in:
🔹 Antenatal & postnatal depression and anxiety
🔹 Prematurity and early brain development
🔹 Infant mental health and development
🔹 The wellbeing of fathers
🔹 Mother-infant relationships

🧠 From exploring how stress affects baby brain development to creating digital tools that help parents cope, PIRI’s research has led to world-first discoveries and practical programs now used across Australia and globally.

Just a few highlights:
✅ MumMoodBooster – Proven online treatment for postnatal depression
✅ DadBooster – Proven online treatment for dads feeling depressed after the birth of a bub
✅ MumSpace and DadSpace – Websites supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing or parents
✅ PremieStart – Parent sensitivity training that boosts brain connectivity in premature babies
✅ Beating the Blues before Birth – Supporting mums before birth improves infant milestones
✅ HUGS – A brief but powerful postnatal program to strengthen mother-infant bonds

📘 We’ve even helped reshape national screening approaches and contributed to new best-practice guidelines in perinatal mental health.

👉 Our goal? To translate research into action, so every family gets the support they need, when they need it most.

Discover more at https://www.piri.org.au/research-in-perinatal-depression-and-anxiety/piris-research/

10/07/2025

People may know who we are — but not always why we exist.

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), our work is grounded in one simple truth:
🔹 The first years of life shape everything that follows.

In those early years, a baby’s brain is being sculpted by experience. This critical window of development lays the foundation for learning, emotional wellbeing, behaviour and lifelong mental health.

But when parents struggle, as around 60,000 new mums do each year in Australia with perinatal depression or anxiety, babies are impacted too. The cost? Not just emotional, but economic: an estimated $7.3 billion for every year’s birth cohort. Most of that is due to the long-term impact on children.

That’s why PIRI exists:
🔹 To intervene early
🔹 To strengthen parent-infant relationships
🔹 To change life trajectories before problems become entrenched

The evidence is clear: when we support parents, we give children a better start, and our whole community stands to benefit.

🌱 Investing in the earliest years is the smartest investment we can make.

Find out more about our why at https://www.piri.org.au/

09/07/2025

🌼 Supporting Mums and Mums-to-Be – One Step at a Time 🌼

Struggling with low mood, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed during pregnancy or after baby arrives? You're not alone—and free support is available.

The Mum2BMoodBooster and MumMoodBooster programs are nationally accredited, evidence-based online treatments designed to help you build skills to manage mood, reduce stress, and feel more like yourself again.

Each session teaches proven strategies, from mood monitoring and behavioural activation to managing unhelpful thoughts and preventing downward spirals. You’ll also learn how to maintain your progress over time.

✨ Start today at: https://piri.au/mood-booster
👩‍⚕️ Health professionals can refer via the Clinician Portal: https://piri.au/clinician-portal-mumspace

The programs are self-guided, and also a great complement to face-to-face therapy, offering extra support when you need it most. 💛

07/07/2025

🌐 Digital Mental Health in Perinatal Care: Supporting Families Anytime, Anywhere 💙

At the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), we're transforming how parents are supported during the critical perinatal period—through pregnancy and the first 1000 days after birth.

Our evidence-based, nationally accredited programs like MumMoodBooster and DadBooster provide accessible, effective support for women, men and clinicians—anytime, anywhere. These digital tools complement face-to-face care, helping overcome barriers like time, distance, and stigma.

🔹 Can be used to complement existing supports, or when access to face-to-face services is limited.
🔹 Proven effective in scientific studies and has been shown to be as effective as face-to-face psychology treatment.
🔹 Tailored support for both mums and dads: Helping reduce isolation, improve emotional wellbeing, and strengthen parenting roles.
🔹 Clinician integration: Tools like the Clinician Portal enable timely, coordinated care.

Digital care doesn't replace clinicians—it amplifies their impact. Together, we’re building a stronger, more responsive mental health system for families across Australia. 💛

📥 Learn more and download our digital mental health flier: https://piri.au/digital-health

30/06/2025

We're pleased to share this research opportunity from Western Sydney University, who are exploring the impact of paid parental leave on Australian families. Their work will help inform future government policy, particularly around increasing paid leave for fathers.

They're looking to speak with Australian dads who’ve had a child in the past 5 years. Participants will receive a $50 gift voucher for taking part in a 30-minute online interview.

Interested? Sign up here: https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3x6YsGdhK8oEwIe

26/06/2025

Join Our Peer-Led Group on Perinatal Mental Health

We’re excited to invite you to our STePPs CRE Peer-Led Group meeting on Wednesday, July 23 at 9:00 AM AEST (check your local time here: https://piri.au/local-time) which will be facilitated by Prof. Cindy-Lee Dennis, a leading expert in perinatal mental health.

We welcome international PhD students, early- and mid-career researchers, and clinicians to join the meeting.

These group meetings offer a valuable opportunity to share your work with peers, engage in collaborative discussions and receive mentoring.

To register for the meeting please access this link: https://piri.au/peer-led-group-july.

For more information about this initiative please contact the STePPS CRE team on steppscre@piri.org.au.

25/06/2025

📣 As we near the end of the financial year, it’s the perfect time to give with impact.

Every year, 90,000 Australian parents are diagnosed with perinatal mental illness. At PIRI, we’re committed to supporting parents and strengthening early relationships during the crucial early years of life.

Your donation helps fund research and develop evidence-based programs that improve the wellbeing of mothers, fathers, infants, and families across the country.

🌱 No gift is too small. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

Make your EOFY gift today and help us build a brighter future from the very beginning.

👉 Donate now https://piri.au/donate-now

17/06/2025

Finding reliable support during pregnancy and early parenthood can be challenging. MumSpace offers evidence-based digital resources specifically designed for perinatal depression and anxiety. Our free programs are accessible whenever you need them, providing professional guidance from the comfort of your home.

Visit www.mumspace.com.au to explore our range of tools developed by mental health experts.

PIRI: Parent-Infant Research Institute

16/07/2025

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