The ‘Infant at the Centre’ event at the Bob Jones Community Hub was organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Family Hubs and Public Health teams and included speakers from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 0-19 team, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Under 5s Service, and the national Parent-Infant Foundation charity.
The first 1,001 days, from conception until the age of 2, are a critical time in a baby’s development.
Practitioners who work directly with parents and infants during this period were invited to attend the workshop and discuss the importance of infant mental health and the relationship between babies and their parents.
The event also highlighted the critical role of practitioners working with parents and infants, the parent-infant training opportunities which are available, and online resources that enhance parent-infant relationships.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “During pregnancy and beyond, the interaction of parents with their baby helps brain development and ensures that their infant feels loved and secure.
“Having caring relationships and access to support services can help an infant’s brain develop in a healthy way.”
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “We were pleased to organise this inaugural event and bring practitioners from across health and children’s social care together to share good practice.
“We will continue connecting with partners to shape priorities and develop local pathways in this crucial area.”
A wide range of information is available about infant mental health and parent-infant relationships, including:
• NHS Start for Life
• BBC Tiny Happy People
• NSPCC Support for Parents
• NCT Baby & toddler
Meanwhile, parents can access trusted NHS health advice and practical tips for their young children thanks to the Healthy Child Wolves app. It can be downloaded for free from Google Play or the App Store.
