Launch of Infant Mental Health Awareness Week
This Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19th June), the Southern Trust is reminding everyone who works with children and young people to consider the importance of babies’ social and emotional development.
Organised through the Parent-Infant Foundation, Infant Mental Health Awareness Week runs every June. This year’s theme is ‘Understanding Early Trauma’.
Ciaran Eastwood, Head of Service for Family Support and Safeguarding in the Southern Trust and chair of the Southern Area Infant Mental Health Strategic Group explains:
“Infant mental health describes the social and emotional wellbeing and development of children in the earliest years of life. This includes their ability to form close relationships, recognise and express emotions and explore and learn about their environment.
“Evidence clearly shows just how critical the first three years of a child’s life are in terms of their development. The experiences and relationships we have in the earliest years of our lives then impact on our future emotional, physical, social and mental health.
He added:
“We want to ensure that all children have the best start in life by promoting positive, social and emotional wellbeing. That is why it is so important that services work together with families to prevent difficulties and provide support at the earliest possible stage when needed.
“In the Southern Trust, we have a range of services, doing their best to support families. Our goal this Infant Mental Health Awareness week is to encourage everyone to think and talk about infant, children and young people’s mental health and to consider how babies’ mental health needs can be met.”
Infant Mental Health Week regional events
This IMH Awareness Week, events are being hosted across the region to raise awareness of the work ongoing, and the key messages for parents and professionals as we work together to better support infant mental health. Some of these events are highlighted below.
Poverty and Infant Mental Health: Understanding the relationship, challenging the status quo
Friday 17th June 2022, 9.30am-1.00pm (Online)
The NI Association for Infant Mental Health (AIMH NI), Stronger From the Start Alliance and AIMH UK
With one in four children in Northern Ireland living in poverty, and rates of poverty increasing most significantly for families where the youngest child is under one year old, we ask: is anyone keeping the baby in mind?
Keynote speaker, Robin Balbernie, Child Psychotherapist and Infant Mental Health Specialist, will be joined by a line-up of local contributors, including parents, practitioners and policy makers, to discuss the key issues and focus on ‘what works’ solutions to ensure every child in Northern Ireland gets the best start in life.
Introduction to Signs of Hope: Promoting Infant Mental Health through the Theory and Science of Hope
Tuesday, 14th June 2022, 10am-12noon (Online)
Western Health and Social Care Trust
The seminar will be of interest to anyone interested in gaining knowledge and skills in promoting infant mental health through the theory and science of hope. The event will:
- Introduce the concept of HOPE and attachment.
- Explore the evidence and how it links to early trauma.
- Bring HOPE alive in your practice.
The Importance of Relationship Led Support to Young Children: Workshop with Dr Joshua Feder
Tuesday, 14th June 2022, 3.00-4.00pm (Online)
Early Years – The Organisation for Young Children
Dr Feder will discuss the importance of relationship led support to young children, with a focus on connecting and supporting development, and will use case studies to facilitate participants’ work through issues faced on a regular basis.
Infant Mental Health Week Southern Area events
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Infant Mental Health Week - 2021
This Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (7-13th June), the Southern Trust is reminding everyone who works with children and young people to consider the importance of babies’ social and emotional development.
Organised through the Parent-Infant Foundation, Infant Mental Health Awareness Week runs every June. This year’s theme is ‘including infants in children and young people’s mental health.’
David Douglas, Assistant Director for Family Support and Safeguarding Children and Young People’s Services for the Southern Trust explains:
“Evidence clearly shows just how critical the first three years of a child’s life are in terms of their development. Early childhood experiences and relationships between the child and their parents have such a major impact on positive emotional and mental health throughout life.
“While being a parent is very rewarding it can also be demanding and some families can face additional challenges like premature births, domestic violence, mental health difficulties or drug and alcohol misuse.
“We want to ensure that all children have the best start in life by promoting positive, social and emotional wellbeing. That is why it is so important that services work together with families to prevent difficulties and provide support at the earliest possible stage when needed.
“Our goal this Infant Mental Health Awareness week is to encourage everyone to think and talk about infant, children and young people’s mental health and to consider how babies’ mental health needs can be met.”
“While the ongoing restrictions due to Covid-19 continue to present additional challenges, we have a range of services doing their best to support families to give their child the best start in life. We encourage anyone interested in infants, children and young people to follow us on social media throughout the week where some of our key early years services will be posting messages of support.”
Including Infants! | Southern Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)
IMHAW – Gemma
IMHAW – Marie and Natalie
IMHAW – Fionnuala
IMHAW – Mona
IMHAW – Majella
IMHAW – Splash Sure Start
IMHAW – Kilkeel Sure Start
IMHAW -Dungannon Sure Start
