This is a free, member only session. 

Please join the Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Interest Group Community via OTA Connect here before registering.

OVERVIEW

This special interest group is for Occupational Therapists working in or curious about working in perinatal and infant mental health settings.

The group aims to share information and exchange ideas relating to perinatal and infant mental health experiences occurring within the stages of preconception, pregnancy and infant loss, birth and the postnatal period, parenting, relationships and families within the first three years.

The objectives of these would be to:

• Share knowledge from practitioners, researchers, and educators working in various perinatal contexts.
• Provide opportunities for reflective practice.
• Support exploration of the occupational therapy scope of practice within the perinatal and infant mental health context.

MEETING DETAILS

TOPIC:

Working with Families: The Perinatal Family Life Stage

The transition to parenthood is one of the most significant occupational and relational shifts that occur in a family system. As babies are born, so too are new roles, routines, expectations and family dynamics — partners become parents, parents become grandparents, and the complex web of relationships within a family system are renegotiated throughout this change.

Occupational Therapists have great skills in thinking about the broader context that a baby is born into: the daily occupations, relational patterns, roles, environments and systems that shape family wellbeing. This presentation will explore the perinatal family life stage through an occupational and systemic lens, helping clinicians make sense of the common pressure points, transitions and “stuck” patterns that can emerge during this time. We will also explore the role of family therapy, referral pathways and practical steps for OTs working in this space.

PRESENTERS:

Laura Hawkins 

DATE:

Wednesday 5 August 2026

TIME:

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, QLD 

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | SA, NT 

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | WA 

MEETING PLATFORM:

Zoom: This session will be run on Zoom. Registrants will be sent separate login details one business day prior to the session. Please check all email folders for this information. This meeting will not be recorded.

Please also ensure you have created a Free Zoom account prior to meeting start time.

If you have questions regarding the Zoom system requirements please visit: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/200101697-Getting-Started  

REGISTRATION FEES & INFORMATION

OTA Member: Free

If you are a non member who wishes to attend please contact us via info@otaus.com.au to discuss your options.

Registrations close Monday 3 August 2026 11.59pm AEST 

MEETING DOCUMENTS & RESOURCES

Agendas, resources and meeting record form are available for members to download in the Community via OTA Connect, once we have received these from the convenors. This meeting will not be recorded.

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DISCLAIMER

Any material, content, advice or resources shared and discussed at interest groups is general in nature and is used to guide peer discussion and support only. Occupational Therapy Australia encourages all participants to think critically and appraise the content for individual circumstances. Occupational Therapy Australia does not necessarily endorse content delivered in these formats and accepts no liability for any consequences resulting from adhering to the content shared at interest groups. All opinions expressed by the convenor or other participants are the opinions of those individuals and do not represent or reflect the views of Occupational Therapy Australia, its affiliates or employees.

Interest Group Participants

By registering to attend, participants agree to actively contribute and show respect to all other participants. We ask you to take personal notes and monitor the Interest Group webpage for meeting resources. Occupational Therapy Australia reserves the right to remove members from an Interest Group at its discretion.