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NEGLECT AND MY BABY’S BRAIN:

Applying Theory to Practice

David Silverman, Strategy Manager, Parenting Support

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My Baby’s Brain

Applying policy to practice

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My Baby’s Brain

• The Rationale

• The Implementation

• Theory into Practice

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My Baby’s Brain:Applying Theory to Practice in

Hertfordshire

My Baby’s Brain is an early intervention programme promoting secure attachment in

families with babies and young children 0-3, in the everyday home environment

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My Baby’s Brain

The Rationale

Parenting in the early years is one of the most significant influences on a child’s wellbeing, resilience and life chances

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My Baby’s Brain

The Rationale

• The volume of the human brain increases more during the first year of life than at any time (from 400gm to 1000gm)

• This growth spurt continues into the 2nd year, with substantial production of nerve cells and synapse connections or pathways.

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My Baby’s Brain:Density of neural connections at 2 months

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My Baby’s Brain: Density of neural connections at 3 months

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My Baby’s Brain: Density of neural connections at 6 months

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My Baby’s Brain: Density of neural connections at 12 months

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My Baby’s Brain

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My Baby’s Brain

• Brain development depends on predictable, nurturing, repetitive and responsive parental behaviour, “attuned” to the child’s stage of development

• This includes specific experiences, including responsive gaze, handling, and talking to the baby

Child Abuse and Neglect and the Brain – A Review (Danya Glaser, Journal 0f Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2000)

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My Baby’s Brain

The Rationale

“Decades of research tell us that mutually rewarding interactions are essential prerequisites for the development of healthy brain circuits”

‘The science of early childhood development’Centre on the Developing Child

Harvard University 2007

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My Baby’s Brain

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•

My Baby’s Brain

The Rationale

• Secure attachments in the first 2 years lay the foundations for resilience, positive mental health and wellbeing, and the ability to create healthy relationships in adolescence and adulthood

• Secure attachments in the first 2 years lay the foundations for secure attachments into adulthood

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My Baby’s Brain

• Attachment has effects across the life-course

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My Baby’s Brain

The Rationale

Neglect and insecure attachments can lead to:

• Difficulties in forming attachments and relationships• Increased risk of physical and mental ill-health• Increased risk of substance misuse• Lower educational achievements• Difficulties in assuming parenting responsibilities • Difficulties in nurturing attachment

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My Baby’s Brain

Implementation

• A multi-agency project conveying to parents of babies (aged 0-3), in a simple, accessible way, the principles of attachment and early brain development.

• Printed and on-line resources

• “Five to Thrive” – a simple “5-a-day” message

• Training for Children’s centre workers, health visitors, social workers etc. who incorporate “Five to Thrive” into their everyday work with parents

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My Baby’s Brain

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My Baby’s Brain

The Implementation

• Weaving “Five to Thrive” into the everyday work of health visitors, children's centre workers, social workers etc.

• A common message across agencies• Conveying to parents of young children (0-3) the

principles of attachment and impact of attachment behaviours on baby brain development, in simple accessible language

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My Baby’s Brain: 600+ staff trained

Children’s Children’s Centre staffCentre staff

Health VisitorsHealth Visitors

Student Health Student Health VisitorsVisitors

Nursery Nursery nurses and nurses and childcare childcare workersworkers

GPsGPs

Library workersLibrary workers

Social WorkersSocial Workers

Educational Educational PsychologistsPsychologists

Intensive Family Intensive Family Support Support workersworkers

School workersSchool workers

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My Baby’s Brain: Implementation

• The ‘Red Book’ Child Health Record • NCT and antenatal sessions• 150+ early years childcare settings trained • 140 childminders trained• Link between My Baby’s Brain and parenting

assessments (Graded Care Profile)• “Recovery” Project to address insecure attachment (It’s

not too late!)

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Application of My Baby’s Brain: 1

• Child on Supervision Order

• CIN Plan

• Team Around the Family: Social worker, health visitor, children’s centre – a consistent message

• Parent with learning disability and mental health problems

• Two children looked after

• Practical application of “Five to Thrive” in CIN visits

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• Teenage Parent

• Her own mother requested support for her at the age of 3• Anger issues • Under-achieving at school • Addiction• Trouble with the police• Domestic violence • Difficult relationships • Possible postnatal depression

• Relationships

– Own family

– Children

– Partner

Application of My Baby’s Brain: 2

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“I don’t want what happened to me to happen to my children. I love my children and I want to be a good mum. I have recognised and am working on my own anger issues and I have to do this to help my children.”

“I am a good parent. I can listen to other people now, I might not agree or like what they say! I can ask for help and accept help now. I know that I need help in my relationship with my partner if we are going to stay together but my children are more important.”

“Being with my children is all that matters and I want the best for

them.”

Impact of My Baby’s Brain

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My Baby’s Brain

References

Early Intervention: Next Steps (Allen Report) Parenting Matters, Chris Paterson. Centre Forum

The Science of Parenting. Margot SunderlandWhy Love Matters. Sue Gerhardt

Attachment Across the Lifecourse. David HoweAttachment in Common Sense and Doodles. Miriam Silver

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My Baby’s Brain

Thank you