Pinsent Masons – Joint winner 2020, Best for Innovation

Pinsent Masons has developed a programme to empower and equip working parents and carers so they can support their children to achieve good mental health.  

The professional services firm says it wants to break down the taboo around children’s mental health issues and recognises the impact this can have on parents‘ or carers’ health and performance at work.  

Parents and carers can access a ‘Minds Matter‘ online portal for resources to help them support their children’s mental health. While a support network for working fathers encourages them to share issues and seek advice. 

In addition, a year-long campaign of internal communications and events has helped engage and inform employees and create an open culture where it’s ok for parents to seek advice and support from each other.  

Events took place to support national and international campaigns such as World Mental Health Day and Children’s Mental Health Week. Other events included a popular ‘question and answer’ session by CBeebies star and paediatrician Dr Ranj Singh about his work with young people and mental health issues, and an interactive session by TV presenter and singing coach Carrie Grant, who shared her experiences of raising children with different needs.  

The judges were impressed by the firm’s holistic approach to employee mental health, which has resulted in an increase in informal support sought from the firm’s employee Mental Health Champions, and more open conversations around the challenges of being a working parent and supporting children’s mental health.  

The professional services firm aims to train 10% of all staff as Mental Health Champions by the end of 2022 to offer peer support to employees. Currently 7% of all staff are trained and among the company’s Family Support Network, the figure is higher at 16%. 

The firm hopes that the programme will help reduce absence because of work-related stress by at least 10% year-on-year.