The NSPCC is, of course, a charity which has its focus on the protection and safety of children - the clue is in the name.

But as well as looking to the immediate safety and wellbeing of children, there are some things we can do to help families and new parents improve the lives of children in years ahead.

Becoming a parent can be an incredibly anxious time, and anyone who has had a child would probably agree that the first months of a baby’s life can be equally if not even more stressful.

Prior to the pandemic, up to one in five mums and one in 10 dads experienced mental health problems during the perinatal period; the time from conception through to the first year of a child’s life.

The anxiety and social isolation caused by the pandemic has added more pressure to parents and carers. Access to timely emotional and psychological support during pregnancy and after birth is always vital, but parents are facing bigger challenges than ever due in part to the pandemic.

Every new parent deserves mental health support if they’re struggling but the support you get depends on where you live. That isn’t how it has to be.

The NSPCC campaign Fight For A Fair Start is for perinatal health support to be available for all parents, wherever they are. We want every family to have a fair start, but that requires societal change which can be accomplished through public support and government investment.

Social distancing measures have meant many fathers and partners have been less visible and excluded from appointments. During pregnancy and after birth is a crucial time when parents build bonds with their baby but it can also be a difficult time and some new fathers experience anxiety.

Without the right support, mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year can have serious consequences for families.

We’re calling on readers to help us fight for a fair start for families. Almost 25,000 people have signed our online petition calling for the Government to improve access to specialist perinatal mental health services.

The Fight For A Fair Start campaign wants the Government to invest in rebuilding the Healthy Child Programme and to better identify and prevent problems.

We also want the Government to ensure health visitors have the capacity to deliver at least five consistent face-to-face visits with every new baby, giving them time to identify perinatal mental health problems. With properly resourced local services supporting perinatal mental health, we believe every child can have a fair start in life. You can help us achieve that.

  • Debra Radford is Assistant Director of NSPCC Yorkshire and the North East.