Women’s Support Network Policy Worker, Siobhán Harding has started to work on the next Consortium research paper which will be on Women and Mental Health. 

The aim of the research is to highlight a number of areas:

• The problems with poor mental health in Northern Ireland.
• Women’s increased likelihood to experience poor mental health.
• The contributing factors to poor mental health and the impact of poor mental health on women’s lives.
• What supports women are currently receiving with their mental health including from their local Women’s Centre and what further supports they feel are needed.
• To highlight the role of Women’s Centres and women’s organisations in helping women with poor mental health to live better lives and take the opportunities open to them.

The research will involve focus group sessions and questionnaires to capture the experiences and views of women with poor mental health.  Women participants in the research will either have a diagnosed mental health condition or are undiagnosed but struggling with their mental health, anxiety and low mood.

Siobhán has begun to organise focus group sessions with Women’s Centres and hopes to engage at least 50 women in both urban and rural settings.  Siobhán hopes to carry out the focus group sessions before Christmas and plans to publish the research in time for International Women’s Day in March 2026.

If you think you could organise a focus group session with a group of women please contact Siobhán as soon as possible at policy@wsn.org.uk