Baby blind spots have to go
7th June marked the start of Infant Mental Health Week 2021. As a charity set up to support babies and toddlers in their early years, we know all about the importance of getting the right levels of help and support at the crucial time.
The First 1001 days (pregnancy to age 2) of a baby’s life is a significant and influential phase in development. It gives us a window of opportunity because what happens in this period lays the foundation for every child’s future health, wellbeing and learning. This period lays down the foundations for emotional, relational and social world.
We know only too well that the pandemic and lockdowns has had an impact on these first 1001 days for many thousands of babies. We work with parents of babies 0-3 years; parents of teens and couples. A Royal Foundation study (Nov 2020) tracked a rise in parental loneliness from 38% to 63%. A different study of new mothers (Covid-19, New Mum Study) found the majority participants reported feeling down (56%), lonely (59%), irritable (62%), and worried (71%) to some extent since lockdown began.
We know that it’s been tough across the age spectrum but we also understand that if we do want to ‘build back better’ we need to seek to do what we can to support these most vulnerable members of our society.
We along with many others in the 1001 Movement have been alarmed by the findings of a recent survey of mental health professionals carried out by the Parent Infant Foundation. They found that there is currently a ‘baby blind spot’ when it comes to training mental health practitioners and accessing mental health services. Of those interviewed, only 12% of clinical psychologists had received specific training to work with this age group. And shockingly only 9% of the 283 professionals who responded said they felt there was adequate provision for mental health support for babies and families at this most crucial time.
So we are calling on both central and local government to address this baby blind spot and work to ensure that all children across the UK can access appropriate mental health provision if and when they need it.
Distressed and stressed babies aren’t necessarily as easy to spot or as obviously in need of our help but they and their families need this support right now. Getting it right prevents future struggles and difficulties into childhood, adolescence and adulthood. It makes sense on every level. So let’s all seek to work together to put these most precious members of our society first.
Written by Jenny Peters
