Search the Site
Events Calendar
« 
May 2012
 »
SMTWTFS
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031 

Welcome

Welcome to the Association for Infant Mental Health AIMH (UK), an autonomous body affiliated to the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH). Infant mental health is the study of mental health as it applies to infants and their families. The field investigates optimal social and emotional development of infants and their families in the first three years of life.

Infant mental health is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas in the whole field of mental health. Research has shown that support for parents during their baby's first year can significantly increase the proportion of babies who form secure relationships with their parents, and this has lasting benefits for their subsequent development. A good beginning for young families is a protective factor in coping with life's inevitable stresses. Early intervention when there are difficulties can often prevent the development of mental health problems in later years.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS  NICE DRAFT DRAFT GUIDANCE

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS AIMH UK RESPONSE. Please send any suggestions/changes to info@aimh.org.uk, thank you

Please visit the 'Member Benefits' page to view the benefits of becoming a member. DOWNLOAD NEW MEMBER APPLICATION FORM HERE. DOWNLOAD MEMBER RENEWAL FORM HERE

AIMH (UK) are now offering Children's Centres a special discounted membership rate. Download information here

Student concession rates are also available - contact the Administrator for further information. info@aimh.org.uk

Recent articles

 

WAIMH 12th World Congress, Leipzig, Germany, June/July 2010 Programme Abstracts
Editors: Hiram E. Fitzgerald. Ryan McGreal-Miller. Dolores K. Fitzgerald
 

WAIMH 13th World Congress IMHJ Supplement to Volume 33, Issue 3, Program Abstracts WAIMH Biennial World Congress, Cape Town, South Africa
Editors: Kaija Puura, M.D. Ph.D., Finland. Mark Tomlinson, Ph.D., South Africa. Neil W. Boris, M.D., USA. Minna Sorsa, MNSc, Finland.
 

Making it Happen - Overcoming Barriers to Providing Infant Early Childhood Mental Health


ZERO TO THREE- Authors: Julie Cohen, Associate Director Zero to Three Policy Center; Cindy Oser, Senior Policy Analyst, Zero to Three Policy Center; Kelsey Quigley, Federal Policy Analyst, Zero to Three Policy Center, April 2012
 

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Public Health Draft Guidance
This guidance aims to define how the social and emotional wellbeing of vulnerable children aged under 5 years can be effectively supported through home visiting, childcare and early education.
 

WAVE TRUST - Request for Practice Examples, March 2012
WAVE Trust and C4EO are dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families through the promotion of evidence-based interventions at the earliest possible time, both pre and post birth, with a particular emphasis on primary prevention. Their knowledge base of global best practice programmes is extensive. They are now keen to add to this evidence base and with actual experience from those responsible for delivering services to families during the period from conception to three years of age. Please access here for more detail on how to submit practice examples by mid May 2012.  
 

International Experience of Early Intervention for Children, Young People and Their Families 2010
WAVE Trust 2010, Authors George Hosking, Ita Walsh, supported by Brojo Pillai. Against the background of Government guidance in England on early intervention to improve outcomes for children and young people and a literature review examining  early intervention to identify and support children with additional needs, C4EO determined to examine the international perspective in relation to this issue. WAVE Trust was commissioned to carry out this rapid review of international literature relating to early intervention.....
 

The Enemy Within - Report written and published by 4Children, March 2012
Up to 75% of children on child protection orders in some areas are on the registers at least in part because of concerns over domestic violence in the family. Children are overwhelmingly the victims: 950,000 children are affected by domestic violence, either directly as victims of violence, or indirectly in terms of witnessing violence. Not only does it have a psychological and emotional impact on children, but new research shows that it also has an impact on childrens brain development..........
 

A Model for Early Years Support Work with Families and Children with Additional Needs in Tajakistan
Spring Update 2012, HealthProms new Report sets out an alternative to institutional care for babies and young people in Tajikistan. This follows two years of innovative work in partnership with the European Union.........
 

Early Investment - The Eastern Region Infant Mental Health Newsletter
This is the first in a series of newsletters aimed at providing parent and infant mental health information for practitioners by practitioners. The Parent Infant Mental Health Team, Norwich Community Health Care NHS Trust were inspired by a Scottish version and hope that others will be inspired to do something similar...
 

The Influence of Domestic Violence on the Development of the Attachment Relationship between Mother and Young Child
Alytia A. Levendosky, PhD; G. Anne Bogat, PhD; Michigan State University and Alissa C. Huth-Bocks, PhD, Eastern Michigan University. This paper uses a case study from a longitudinal research project to illustrate the influence of domestic violence on the developing attachment relationship between mother and child that begins during pregnancy......
 

More infant mental health services needed
CELCIS - (Centre for Excellence for looked after Children in Scotland) 7 March 2012. NSPCC head of strategy and development for high risk families Professor Julie Taylor, warned at a conference in Glasgow yesterday that looked after children are particularly susceptible to mental health damage.....
 

An Infant Mental Health Service: The Importance of the Early Years and Evidence-Based Practice (updated March 2012)
Robin Balbernie's 66 page paper that gives detailed evidence for the importance of infant-parent psychotherapy, and related relationship-based interventions, as a therapeutic and preventative service for at-risk babies and their parents. Each section can stand alone but helping small people seems to call for big explanations!
 

Childhood abuse may stunt growth of part of brain involved with emotions
Three key areas of the hippocampus in the brain were smaller in people who reported maltreatment in childhood. This article was published on guardian.co.uk at
 

Attachment disorder: The families struggling to stay in control. Families of violent and disruptive children with attachment disorder are finding that support for the condition is in short supply.


This article was published on guardian.co.uk at
 

Breastfed babies are calmer, study finds
This study, published in the Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, of almost 2,000 people in Finland, who were followed for 24 years, found those not breastfed as infants had higher levels of hostility, cynicism and paranoia in adulthood than those who were breastfed for between four and six months............
 

Antenatal depression and offspring psychopathology: the influence of childhood maltreatment
The British Journal of Psychiatry. BJP 2011, 199:106-112. Susan Pawlby, Dale Hay, Deborah Sharp, Cerith S Waters and Carmine M. Pariante
 

The Children's Pledge - Melanie Gill's speech to the NSPCC/Mindful Policy Group (MPG) seminar on children's rights, London February 6, 2012


Melanie Gill is a Child Forensic Psychologist, Founder/Director of MPG and Committee Member of AIMH (UK). Mel's speech, 'Babies Rights: Psychohistory and Science' is taken from the seminar. Mel was supported by Penelope Leach from the Institute for the Study of Children, Family and Social Issues at Birkbeck and an AIMH UK Advisor. You can sign the CHILDREN'S PLEDGE by clicking here
 

Home Office Consultation on Domestic Abuse, click here to access website link and full consultation.
Theresa May's request for public, police, charities and practitioners views on the definition of domestic violence. Consultation launched on December 14 2011 and runs to March 30th 2012
 

All Babies Count - Prevention and Protection for Vulnerable Babies, Chris Cuthbert, Gwynn Rayns, Kate Stanley NSPCC
Over recent years, there has been an explosion of new research and understanding about the significance of pregnancy and infancy in laying the foundations for child development. It is hoped that this report will make a substantial contribution to help with setting out the key building blocks to deliver the vision of a society where every baby is safe. A number of AIMH (UK) Committee Members and Advisors have contributed to this report. 
 

Department of Health, December 2011; Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin, Edition 69 Policy Update
Department of Health, Children, Families and Maternity e-bulletin Policy Update, December 2011. The Health and Social Care Bill is being considered by the House of Lords.
 
more articles >>