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Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 (7-12 June)

20:20 Vision
Seeing the world through babies’ eyes

Infant Mental Health Awareness Week runs every June to highlight the importance of babies’ emotional wellbeing and development.

In 2020 the national campaign was being spearheaded by the Parent-Infant Foundation. Here in Bradford, a number of organisations collectively devised some activity to support the week and explore the theme – ‘seeing the world through babies’ eyes’ – with these key messages:

• Infant mental health matters now more than ever.
• A baby’s view of the world is very different from an adult’s.
• Parent-infant relationships really matter. Babies learn about themselves and their world through their relationships.
• Babies are born ready to relate, communicate and learn about the world around them.
• The first 1001 days of a baby’s life are critical. Their brains are developing rapidly, and this development is shaped by their early experiences.

Watch the Suzanne Zeedyk webinar

On Monday 8 June 2020, over 200 people attended a webinar with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk on the theme ‘seeing the world through babies’ eyes.

This thought-provoking webinar passionately explores the importance of connections and belonging for a baby, and how babies are born connected. Using engaging video and image content, she demonstrates the joyous connection between parent/caregiver and baby that builds trust and resilience, and shapes foundation of future healthy relationships and connection to their community.

Use the infant mental health resources for practitioners

• Little Minds Matter: Bradford Infant Mental Health Service has developed a special action card for practitioners working with families with infants. Download the five-point action card here (PDF).
  
• Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust developed Ready to Relate cards: a visual, interactive tool to help practitioners assess, discuss and share healthcare information with families and aim to improve and enhance the parent‐infant relationship and promote infant attachment. Find out more here…
  
• Download the Parent-Infant Foundation’s infographic which explains what infant mental health is, and why it matters. Anyone can download this and use it to help them to champion babies’ emotional wellbeing and development. 
  
• Seeing the world through babies eyes in times of crisis and change – a resource developed by our A Better Start partners in Lambeth, LEAP.
  

Join the Yorkshire & Humber Infant Mental Health Hub

• If you’re a Yorkshire-based practitioner you can join the Yorkshire & Humber Infant Mental Health Hub Facebook group and/or sign up to the mailing list.

Find out more about infant mental health

• Parent-Infant Foundation
• The Association for Infant Mental Health (AIMH UK)
• First 1001 Days Movement
• Little Minds Matter: Bradford Infant Mental Health Service