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Think baby Camden

The early years workforce often lacks specialist training to support early social and emotional development, which can feel time-consuming, expensive and an ‘added extra’ (Asmussen and Brims, 2018).

Introduction

The Think Baby - Camden project has been designed and is currently being tested to address this gap.

It includes specialist training and reflective practice to support early years practitioners (or staff) in working with families in the early years. As part of this Integrated pathway we also deliver targeted therapeutic interventions, such as Video-feedback Intervention to promote positive parenting (ViPP).

How it works

This service involves 6 bespoke training sessions on attachment-informed infant mental health training and 12 group reflective practice sessions delivered once a month by the Anna Freud Centre’s early years specialists. In addition, this pathway also involves the delivery of a targeted therapeutic intervention: Video Feedback for Positive Parenting (ViPP). The training aims to support early years staff to develop skills in observing and facilitating parent-infant interactions, articulating the voice of the child, encouraging relationships among parents, recognizing and responding to parent-infant mental health issues, and communicating with colleagues about their work. This approach is based on the Parent-Infant Psychotherapy model that was developed within our Early Years Programme.

VIPP (Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & van Ijzendoorn, 20085) is a video-feedback intervention that has been found to have some of the highest levels of acceptability and effectiveness in improving parental relationship quality (Lawrence et al., 2013 6; Iles et al., 20177), and is recommended by NICE. VIPP is typically delivered over 6-8 sessions in the parent’s home.

Who it is for

This pathway is aimed at early years staff, including play & stay workers, health visitors, social workers and mental health workers across the borough of Camden. The targeted therapeutic delivery consisting of ViPP is aimed at families who meet the assessment threshold for intervention.

Evaluation

The evaluation uses a mixed methods design, combining descriptive statistics, attendance figures, outcome measures and a thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with participants.

Using a variety of data, this evaluation is looking at two key project outcomes: professional practice and family interventions.

Professional practice is being assessed using:

  • Self-report measures (confidence, competence & knowledge) ​

  • Focus group interviews​

  • Coded video footage of practice

Family interventions are being assessed using:

  • Self-report measures (parental mental health, parental confidence, infant development, experience) ​

Parent interviews

Meet the team

  • Michela Biseo​ (Deputy Head of Early Years Programme – Clinical & Consultant Child Psychotherapist)

  • Natalie Loibner (Early Years Therapist - VIPP).

Contact us

To find out more about Think Baby, or how to make a referral, get in touch at EarlyYears@annafreud.org