Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is hosting a day dedicated to help develop a new perinatal infant mental health service from pregnancy to children up to five years old, as part of its Radical Pathway Redesign.
Called ‘Minding The Baby, the conference at Newmarket Racecourse on 6 December, 9am-5pm, will examine the needs for a healthier early start and improve all parents of young children’s access to Tier 3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Minding The Baby will be look at what the evidence says about the need for the new perinatal service and provide examples of existing good local practice and how they can be used across all the Trust’s localities in Norfolk and Suffolk.
To help highlight the importance of this work, the morning will feature a number of key note speakers including:
Dr Penelope Leach – Psychologist who has written extensively on parenting issues from a child development perspective. Penelope is currently involved in a large scale project on the longitudinal effects of various forms of child care on children and their parents.
Professor Jane Barlow – Professor of Public Health in the Early Years. Jane’s research interests are in the effectiveness of early interventions in the primary prevention of mental health problems and in the prevention of child abuse, she is also the Director of the Warwick Infant and Family Wellbeing Unit.
Dr Amanda Jones PhD – Consultant Psychologist North East London Foundation Trust. Amanda is an Honorary Associate Professor of Warwick Medical School and head of North East London NHS Foundation Trust’s Tier 3 Perinatal Parent Infant Mental Health Service.
Melanie Gill – Child forensic psychologist who specialises in developmental trauma.
Richard Pratt – Clinical Psychologist, Team Manager 0-5 Years, Point 1 (New Tier 2 CAMHS Service, Norfolk).
In the afternoon, there will be a series of workshops during which attendees will examine what a Tier 3 service should look like, what is currently delivered and how all early services can collaborate effectively.
One of the organisers of the event, Dr Catherine Thomas, Consultant Psychiatrist at NSFT, said: “We will be looking at examples of existing excellent practice within community services across our locality, as well as other Trusts that have established perinatal infant services.
“By the end of the day those attending will have a better understanding about how to shape Tier 3 CAMHS services both in the short and long term.”
