Healthy Little Minds
Adapting to life with a baby is a challenge for every parent. Sometimes things don’t happen as you thought they would. All babies are unique and individual just like their parents. Learning how they communicate will help to build a special relationship. The team will help to build strong relationships between parents and their new baby.
In the first 1001 days of a baby’s life, they learn and grow faster than any other time.
The relationships between babies and their parents are incredibly important for growing healthy little minds.
Healthy Little Minds helps to nurture the relationship between parent/carer and child. They provide that extra help and the tools needed to understand the baby’s needs.
The Healthy Little Minds team:
• Help parents and carers to deal with difficulties
• Focus on the emotional and mental health needs of the baby
• Offer early intervention to build on parenting strengths
• Provide a tailored service for individuals to thrive
Get Advice
The team will call each family when they receive a referral. They will gather information and book a further assessment if they are eligible.
If they aren’t eligible for the service, they will share a self-help guide and alternative support with them.
Getting Help
The Healthy Little Minds team offer a range of evidence-based support. Every eligible family will receive a package of care that supports their needs which might include individual, group and online support.
The team will work together with each family to make a plan, which enables the family to have the best possible relationship with their baby.
Services include:
Baby Massage
Improve positive interaction with your baby through touch and eye contact. Begin to recognise their needs.
Newborn Behavioural Observation
Helping you to get to know your baby and how they communicate what they want and need.
Parent Infant Relationship Support
Understand your baby and what you contribute to your relationship with them using the Solihull approach. This can be accessed individually or in a group setting. Offer for pregnancy, new-born and up to 2 years.
Going Mellow / Mellow Bumps
A focus on trust, self-esteem and other well-being factors, to support the attachment (emotional bond) with your baby. Mellow Bumps will be offered during pregnancy.
Video Interaction Guidance (VIG)
See the strengths in your relationship with your baby and start to build your confidence and bond.
Consultation
There might be times when we work together with professionals already supporting you and your baby.
Eligibility - parents and carers who:
Feel they need additional support with their relationship with their baby.
This could be for a number of reasons:
- Life challenges and experiences can have an impact on how we relate to our baby
- You might have concerns or challenges with bonding with your baby
- You might want support in improving your relationship with your baby
- You might not be feeling emotions as expected about yourself or towards the pregnancy/baby
- You may have had difficulties in pregnancy, a traumatic birth or a previous loss
Are 20 weeks pregnant or have a child under 2 years
Live in Nottingham City
How do I access the service?
To find out more please contact the Healthy Little Minds team:
t: 0115 8761771
e: [email protected]
Download a self-referral form below:
Meet the team
Us
Megan Britton
Specialist Practitioner“I have always been passionate about supporting children and families wellbeing. Working as a children’s nurse, has allowed me to see how important those early experiences are for a child’s growth and development, and highlighted the positive impact of creating a safe and nurturing environment for children. I am excited to be part of the Healthy Little Minds project helping parents and children create secure attachments and promote positive parent-infant mental health.”
Rachel Tallamy
Trainee Parent Infant Psychotherapist“I feel very fortunate to hold the position of Parent-Infant Psychotherapist trainee within the Healthy Little Minds Team! My psychotherapeutic training focuses on offering a safe space to support parents in any challenges they are facing. I work with the understanding that parents have individual histories and circumstances that may influence their experience in parenting. I feel really excited to be involved in this dynamic team that holds what I believe to be a crucially important vision, and that has the potential to positively influence many families' lives. ”
Rachel Hunter
Project Administrator“Having worked as a Business Support Officer in Children’s Social Care and then CAMHS, I hope my skills and knowledge will help support the delivery of this exciting project. I have first-hand experience with how difficult and daunting bringing up a baby can be. I had a traumatic first birth and a difficult time with my baby and received lots of support from professionals and attended a number of mother and baby groups which helped build my confidence and connection with my baby. As the first point of contact for many parents coming into the service, they will receive a warm welcome from me as I guide them through the types of interventions available as well as supporting the delivery of the project. ”
Chloe Wilderspin
Maternity Support Worker“My role is to work alongside midwives, perinatal services, and health visitors to identify families who need additional support to achieve positive attachment. I am passionate about working closely with families and giving them the tools to promote strong parent-infant relationships. Infant mental health and attachment are important to me because they have a significant impact on infant brain development. Relationships are the foundation of child development and can shape a child’s upbringing and adulthood. I look forward to supporting families from the pre-natal period onwards across Nottingham City. ”
Vickie Humble
Family Support Worker“I love my new role with Healthy Little Minds as a Family Support Worker. I am excited about supporting parents and caregivers in helping them to form and maintain a positive attachment with their child, supporting families with enjoying and exploring their child’s world through play and interaction. I am passionate about supporting parents and caregivers through pregnancy and infancy with this being such an important time, and understand and appreciate the difficulties they may face. I am here to support every step of the way to empower families and give every child the best start in life. ”
Elayne Walker
Service Lead“I’ve always been passionate about supporting the complex and unique relationship between babies/infants and the important people in their world - it has been my vision that one day I could be involved in a team like Healthy Little Minds! So it’s a privilege to be able to lead this service, and share in such vital work which we believe will make an incredibly positive impact on the lives and relationships of infants and their families.”
Tessa Pye
Specialist Practitioner“I have always enjoyed working with families. I especially love working with parents and young children because we know that by giving our children the best start in life, we set them up to do amazing things in the future and a big part of that ‘best start’ is creating a strong, positive bond between baby and caregiver.”
Debra Lievesley
Specialist Practitioner“I am very excited to hold the position of Specialist Practitioner in the new parent-infant relationship team, providing a vital service in the first 1001 days to SSBC families, to support the development of secure attachments and healthy emotional/ mental well-being in babies and young children.”
Natasha Beer
Team Manager“I am really pleased to be part of the Healthy Little Minds team, and feel very passionate about supporting new parents and caregivers whilst they are forming the special relationship with the newest addition to their family. I have a keen interest in parental and infant mental health and attachment, and I am really looking forward to working with our local communities to provide a service which will have a positive impact on local families for years to come. ”
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