Parent Mental Health Day 2026: Supporting parents, strengthening families

This blog commemorates Parent Mental Health Day 2026 by sharing a selection of Springer Nature journal articles, collections, ISRCTN clinical study registrations and Research Communities blog posts chosen by our publishers.

Lisa Hodgkinson Jan 26, 2026

Parent Mental Health Day, founded in the UK by stem4 (supporting teenage mental health) and held annually on 30 January, raises awareness of the crucial connection between parents’ and carers’ mental health and the well-being of the whole family.

Highlights from Springer Nature journals

Parental mental health

Research in this category calls attention to the many factors shaping parental well-being during pregnancy, early parenthood, and beyond. Studies explore how emotional regulation relates to perinatal depression and how a partner’s circumstances and mental health influence postpartum risk. It also examines the often‑invisible mental load of caregiving and its neural context, alongside policy‑level levers such as paternity leave that can protect fathers’ mental health. Together with an editorial on perinatal mental health and insights from diverse cultural settings, including adolescent mothers in Malawi, these papers underscore why parental mental health is essential to thriving families.

Support models and interventions

These papers highlight practical, scalable approaches that can make a meaningful difference to parents' mental health. Evidence spans extended home‑visiting schemes that first‑time parents perceive as valuable, digital signposting that supports earlier, preventive engagement, and family‑centred strategies aimed at improving outcomes where a parent has a mental illness. Collectively, they show the value of meeting parents where they are and offering timely, accessible support.

Healthcare professionals’ perspectives

Frontline healthcare professionals often sit at the intersection of adult and child needs. Insights from general practitioners and paediatricians show the complexities of recognising family mental health risks, coordinating care, and ensuring children are not overlooked when a parent is unwell. These perspectives point to the importance of training, continuity, and cross‑service communication.

Neurodevelopmental Transitions

For families supporting young people with ADHD, the move toward adulthood can bring new pressures and uncertainties. Research highlights how parents contribute to effective self‑management during this shift and the need for clear, collaborative planning to sustain both youth outcomes and parent well-being.

Open collections calling for submissions

Becoming Baby‑friendly: What Works? This Collection aims to discover evidence‑based practices that help create truly baby‑friendly care, supporting healthier beginnings for families.
Migration and Maternal & Child Health The cross-journal Collection will explore vital research on how migration shapes maternal and child health—and the solutions that can improve outcomes.
Parental Mental Health in the First 1,000 Days A Collection of leading studies showing why supporting parent wellbeing early on is key to giving every child the best start.
Genetics and Women’s Mental Health Uncovering cutting‑edge insights into how genetic factors influence women’s mental health across life stages.

Collections to read again

You can also revisit a range of past Springer Nature collections that explore key themes in parental and infant mental health, including maternal and neonatal wellbeing, reducing disparities in care, early bonding and development, the experiences of parents with personality pathology, and evidence on postpartum depression.

ISRCTN The UK's Clinical Study Registry

These studies explore a range of innovative approaches designed to support parents and strengthen family wellbeing, from testing an early online intervention for carers of children experiencing developmental regression (ISRCTN25513446) to evaluating a positive‑parenting programme aimed at improving relationships with teenagers (ISRCTN72900402). They also include work embedding a supportive parent–infant care technique in neonatal units (CoolCuddle‑2, ISRCTN10018542), assessing the effectiveness of a universal antenatal parenting programme for expectant families (Baby Steps, ISRCTN12196131), and trialling a co‑designed website to help parents navigate concerns about their child’s emotions or behaviour (FindWays, ISRCTN64605513). Together, these studies highlight practical, evidence‑informed tools being developed to better support parents across different stages of their child’s life.

Springer Nature Research Communities

Posts highlighting the meaningful contributions towards Parent Mental Health Day made by UK charities and community interest companies (CIC) include a post from Gill Meens. Gill is a Lived Experience Manager of Mental Health Foundation, which is a leading charity focused on preventing mental health problems before they start.

Another post, written by Sarah-Lou Glover, describes how she founded Parental Minds CIC, which provides practical, emotional, and peer‑led support for parents and caregivers who are supporting someone with mental health difficulties.

Conclusion

If you want to get involved in Parent Mental Health Day this year, you can visit the official website for tools and guidance to help you care for yourself every day, not just on PMHD.