Each year AiMH and the Regional Hubs organise a variety of events for members and non-members. They range from national and regional conferences to local events organised by individual Hubs.
The events address a wide range of interests relevant to the early years and infant mental health provision, and include seminars, clinical workshops and case discussions.
If you know of events relevant to infant mental health, that are not included here, please tell us and other members about it directly in the IMH Events forum.
WAIMH 2021 – contributions by AiMH members
Here are some contributions to the Congress by AiMH members. Please contact AiMH if you or colleagues are presenting.
The Infant, The Parents, And The Psychoanalyst – including a tribute to Dilys Daws
Campbell Paul, President of WAIMH, is chairing this event – which will include an interview with Dilys to mark the 25th anniversary of AiMHuk.
Friday 25th June, 7.30 – 8.50am.
Jane Barlow (AiMH Chair) is chairing this session:
Running an Infant Mental Health Organisation: Models of Working
Piret Visnapuu-Bernadt, Nicole Canin & Jane Barlow
Wednesday 23 June, 10.30 – 11.45
Rachel Pardoe and Jessica Williams are presenting a pre-recorded workshop, available on demand:
Providing a parent-infant therapeutic intervention online: Video Interaction Guidance – empowering parents during COVID-19 (Workshop theme: Antenatal and perinatal practices)
We are offering a ‘Meet the Presenters’ slot on Friday 25 June at 15.00.
The WAIMH (World Association for Infant Mental Health) 2021 World Congress
The WAIMH 2021 World Congress will be a blend of in-person in Brisbane, Australia and virtual online open to all. It is being delivered from 22 – 26 June 2021. Click here to read more about the Hybrid Program.
The congress platform allows all delegates to view the content not only during the Congress but for the next 6 months. The content provided is second to none, with participations of key presenters in the field of infant mental health.
WAIMH 2021 On-demand will provide all registered attendees 24/7 access to over 200 hours of WAIMH Congress program content for 6 months. Presentations such as Workshops and Symposiums will be presented via a pre-recorded video presentation. Live to the World content is scheduled at specific times (see the Program) – and will be available as recorded sessions after 26 June.
The program has been carefully scheduled and allows delegates to easily search for the presentations and speakers they want.
To register, click here.
Cost: for non-WAIMH members the fee is $600 Australian dollars, ie around £327 (reduced fee for members – worth considering).
#IMHAW – #including infants – Report reveals a ‘baby blindspot’
A Report released for #IMHAW by the Parent-Infant Foundation captures the findings of a survey with nearly 300 children and young people’s mental health professionals across the UK. This shows significant gaps in both training and provision for babies and toddlers. Key findings include:
- Only 36% of respondents reported that, within children and young people’s mental health services in their area, there are mental health services that can work effectively with babies and toddlers aged 0-2.
- Only 52% of respondents said their local NHS children and young people’s mental health service took referrals for children aged two and under. Many of these respondents told us that, while this was the referral criteria on paper, in reality, the service was not working with young children.
- Only 9% of respondents felt there was “sufficient provision available for babies and toddlers whose mental health was at risk” in their area.
- During their pre-qualification training, 26% of respondents had not been trained to work with 0–2-year-olds.
- 48% had not had experience of working with this age group during their training.
The research shows, yet again, that there is a “baby blindspot” in our mental health system and more must be done to ensure that there are appropriate services available to work with babies and their families.
‘Getting It right for our Infants’
Monday 7th June 9am – 1pm. Organised by Scotland’s Infant Mental Health Hub, within AiMH UK.
This event is being held on the first day of Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (IMHAW) 2021. This year the theme is: including infants in children and young people’s mental health. #IMHAW21 #including infants
‘Supporting parents when they are really struggling: with Amanda Jones’
AIMH UK Scotland Hub is delighted to welcome Amanda Jones, Clinical Lead, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Perinatal Parent Infant Mental Health Service.
Amanda will talk about a way of understanding good enough ‘parental care’, understanding what processes can make it hard for a parent to give this to their baby and how to have conversations that can help.
This presentation will be followed by a discussion and small group reflections about how the ideas relate to our practice.
Tickets: AiMH UK members free, Non-members £15
For more information and to book a place follow this link to eventbrite
1001 days: a feature documentary about motherhood
A group of extraordinary women fight to transform the lives of mothers and new babies in their beloved township.
As the country grapples with systemic racism and inequality, the fearless and charismatic Thandiwe, Zanele and Khosi doggedly support new mothers, waging a daily battle against poverty, domestic abuse and addiction. Their aim: to help new mothers during the first 1001 days of their babies’ lives, which are the most critical time in any human’s life. And to transform the babies lives and opportunities, as well as those of generations to come.
To find out more and back the campaign visit the Kickstarter page: tinyurl.com/4z4rm84b
Early Years Health Development Review
The early years review – The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days – has been led by Early Years Health Adviser Andrea Leadsom MP and sets out a vision for best practice across the health system to ensure babies and children can get the best possible start. It was great to see our President, Professor Jane Barlow attend the launch and be a key speaker delivering a presentation on why the 1001 critical days are so critically important.
Please click on the link for the full recording of the launch. Jane’s presentation is 15 minutes into the video. Click here
AiMH UK Forthcoming events
Bristol, Somerset & Gloucestershire West Hub Infant mental Health Hub Event
Building a local early years/infant mental health network
Monday 10 May 2021, 10.00-12.00, Online
Scotland Hub Event – Infant Mental Health Week Monday 7 June – details TBC
AiMH UK National Conference – Friday 19th November 2021 – details TBC
‘Babies & Young Children under Lockdown: Attunement and Adaptation’
On 5th March the AiMH UK London Region Hub welcomed 47 participants to its second online event, ‘Babies & Young Children under Lockdown: Attunement and Adaptation. The event was a welcome opportunity for London region infant mental health practitioners to connect with each other. Outgoing London Region Hub lead Sara Rance reviews the event below and invites suggested themes for future hub events from AiMH UK London Hub members.
Engaging Fathers & Working during COVID
Friday 22 January 2021 9.30-12.00
Dr Cerith Waters (Senior Lecturer, Clinical Lead for perinatal services, Cardiff; accredited VIG practitioner) and Rachel Pardoe (Child Psychotherapist, VIG supervisor).
The importance of including fathers in interventions that address emerging problems in the parent-infant relationship: a VIG case example
This online event went very well – over 70 practitioners booked from all over the UK – several working in community services for Dads. Many positive comments in the Zoom Chat and active verbal discussion.
Dr. Cerith Waters shared emotionally moving and effective therapeutic work, using VIG. It was clearly an inspiration for many who attended.
Cerith also presented research data on Fathers mental health during the perinatal period, and he shared the BPS Guidance on Working remotely with parents and infants during pregnancy and postpartum.
Handouts will be emailed to all attendees. Logged in AiMH members can see more information here in the AiMH UK-wide Forum. Please add your comments (whether or not you attended the event).
Watch Infant Sleep Lecture and read Dilys Daws’ new book on Infant Sleep Problems
Dilys Daws with Sarah Sutton’s ‘Parent Infant Psychotherapy for Sleep Problems’ (Routledge 2020) is a wonderful addition to the literature on the subject of infant sleep. This book includes infancy research, a psychoanalytic perspective on infant sleep problems and case studies.
A lecture on ‘What is Normal Infant Sleep? A view from Anthropology’ was given on 11th Nov 2020 by Professor Helen Ball of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre and it is still accessible on YouTube, together with the Q & A.
You can find everything we do on our website, the Baby Sleep info Source where we have resources for parents and healthcare professionals, including downloadable information sheets and an infantsleep app. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Mentalising in the time of COVID‑19:restoring our ability to think about babies
AiMH UK National Conference + IMH Awards.
Friday, 27 November 2020, 10.00-13.00 (online via Zoom)
Speakers: Professor Peter Fonagy, Professor Jane Barlow, Dr. Dana Shai and Tessa Baradon.
The conference provided opportunities to reflect on the traumatising effects of the recent COVID-19 pandemic on parents and infants, and the importance of a mentalising stance to enable families to recover.
If you missed it, we hope to see you at the next AiMH conference, or at one of the Hub events – see the Hub pages.
Launch Event for the Eastern Region Hub for Virtual Schools for Children in Care and Post Looked After
Promoting the education of all children in care and post looked after.
Launch date to be confirmed.
This content is for logged-in members of AiMH UK. If your work is concerned with babies and infants from conception to age three, or with their parents and carers, then join AiMH UK.