National Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network - latest information

Here is the latest Jan-net mailing, via Janet Cobb who has given me permission to post it here.

This information is being sent on via the National Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network.
Contact Janet Cobb on pimh@cypf.org.uk or Janet@jan-net.co.uk for more information.

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01 - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Hello everyone
See invitation below to seminar on FASD and also attached research information sheet...if you want to discuss this with Raja his number & email address are below
Janet

Dr Raja Mukherjee
Consultant Psychiatrist
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
116 -118 Station Rd East
Oxted
RH8 0QA
sasd@sabp.nhs.uk
December 2009
01883 383936
Dear Colleague

RE: FASD Knowledge and Attitude Research

I hope you do not mind me writing to you. I would like to invite you to attend a training session I will be running as part of a research programme into ascertaining the knowledge of professionals about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) as well as identifying areas where we can tailor future training and intervention packages.

I am hoping that you would be interested to find out more and that you feel this subject is of importance to you. There will be two parts to the presentation prior to a question and answer session on the subject. We are looking to seek the answers to ascertain views on a number of areas related to the topic of FAS. Everyone else will be invited to attend a free teaching session commencing with a general questionnaire about knowledge about FASD, followed by a brief lecture by myself as one of the leading specialists working with children and Adults with FAS. There will be there opportunity afterwards to ask questions. A small selection of those wishing to attend will be invited randomly to attend a small focus group to discuss this in more detail before the main session.

We hope you feel this will be a useful exercise and add to your Continuing Professional Development as well as helping us with our research. If however you wish to obtain information without attending the session, a Frequently Asked Question form is available. If you contact the number above, details will be provided as to how to obtain these.

I do hope you and your colleagues are able to attend. The seminars will be held over Surrey and S London. For now we have arranged one session but will establish more once we have an idea of interest. If there is enough demand in another area we are willing to come to you also. We include an information sheet that should explain further.

Current Date:
Oaklands House (Rm 2,3)
Coulsdon Road,
Caterham,
Surrey,
CR3 5YA,
5th February 2010 17.30 -19.00

Focus group 17.30 – 18.15
18.15- 19.00 Talk and Q&A session
Please RSVP at least 2 weeks prior to above date to allow us to arrange Tea/ Coffee

Yours sincerely
Raja Mukherjee
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02 - Midwives magazine
http://www.rcm.org.uk/midwives/

Read midwifery news from Midwives, the bi-monthly magazine of the Royal College of Midwives. Find features on the role of the midwife; comment on the Midwives blog. Read in-depth research in Evidence Based Midwifery.
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03 - Breast feeding information sheets
These information sheets have been specifically designed for health professionals to use with new and expectant parents - please feel free to print off and pass on. To contact us please email website@lansinoh.co.uk
http://www.lansinoh.co.uk/information_sheets2.php
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04 - Safer recruitment resources

Download the guidance for safer recruitment into the children and young people's workforce
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/safer-recruitment/safer-recruitment-resources
We have developed guidance for the children and young people's workforce on safe recruitment practices, consistent with other safer recruitment guidance and training produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Guidance material - available to order from 9 November 2009
To help you to understand more about recruiting safely into the children and young people's workforce we have created full guidance and summary publications:
Recruiting safely: Safer recruitment guidance helping to keep children and young people safe [PDF - 546KB]
Recruiting safely: Summary safer recruitment guidance helping to keep children and young people safe [PDF 202KB].
We have also created a CD-rom resource toolkit which contains the full guidance document but also example documents and best practice for you to use as well as links to useful websites.
Recruiting safely (CD-rom): Resource toolkit for safer recruitment in the children and young people's workforce.
If you would like to order any of these publications please e-mail info@cwdcouncil.org.uk
Page updated: 3 November 2009
What does it mean to me?
Find our what the new Vetting and Barring Scheme means to you and the children's and young people's workforce.
Find out now - http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/vetting-barring/vetting-and-barring-faqs
Are you recruiting safely?
Learn how to recruit safely into the children and young people's workforce
Safer recruitment training - http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/safer-recruitment/safer-recruitment-e-learning
Safeguarding updates
Sign up here to keep up to date with all safeguarding news and events - http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/updates
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05 - Neonatal Toolkit launched
New guidance has been published to help the NHS improve the care provided for premature and sick babies and their families. The Toolkit for High Quality Neonatal Services was launched by Professor Ann Keen MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Services on Wednesday 4th November.
Babies who are born prematurely, sick or have a low birth weight require specialised care in their first hours, days and often months. A Neonatal Taskforce was established to identify ways of further improving services to ensure the best possible care and outcomes. NHS staff from across England and members of Bliss have helped to develop the toolkit, which provides evidence based guidance for all neonatal services.
The toolkit includes a set of eight principles for high quality neonatal services and a framework to assist commissioners. The principles cover the major areas of activity within the neonatal care pathway and aim to provide standardisation in neonatal care:
1. Organisation of neonatal services
2. Staffing of neonatal services
3. Care of the baby and family experience
4. Transfers
5. Professional competence, education and training
6. Surgical services
7. Clinical governance
8. Data requirements

The toolkit also contains some useful resources which can be adapted for local use. These include example templates of service and transport specifications, surgical pathways, a dashboard and a nursing workforce calculator.
For further information contact:
Allison Binns
allison.binns@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Tel. 0207 972 4143
The toolkit is available to download, together with the CD documents from the DH website.

Click http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_107845 to access.
It is also available to order in hard copy from the DH Orderline: http://www.orderline.dh.gov.uk

Tel. 0300 123 1002
Quote 297621/Toolkit for High Quality Neonatal Services
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06 - Perinatal Mental Health – new course dates
New dates
This module takes place over five days:
January 25th and 26th;
March 24th and 25th
and June 24th 2010.

There are limited places available so register early to avoid disappointment.

About the module
This multidisciplinary postgraduate award module will provide you with understanding about innovative ways of working to support parent and infant mental health during the perinatal period.
Building on recent evidence from a range of disciplines, including developmental
psychology and neuroscience, the course highlights the importance of:

• Women’s and men’s transition to parenthood and the development of the social
baby, with particular focus on mental health problems in the perinatal period

• Developing advanced skills in the early identification of mental health problems using a partnership approach and underpinned by a model of progressive universalism

• Engaging with the multidisciplinary clinical perinatal team in developing care
pathways for women experiencing mental health difficulties

• Skills in supporting sensitive parent-infant interactions and developing healthy
Attachments

What is involved?
• Lectures, guided reading, structured debate, observation of videos, and group
Exercise

• Undertaking a case study and practicing new skills between taught parts of the
Course

Further information

For further information, visit http://www.warwick.ac.uk/wms or contact Hazel Cann on:
Tel: +44 (0)24 7652 2035, Email: H.J.Cann@warwick.ac.uk
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07 - Off to a Healthy Start
DCSF and DH have been working closely to produce a health and wellbeing supplement for the winter edition of the DCSF Early Years Magazine. The supplement features health experts who work with early years staff to make sure that young children and families get all the help and support they need for their physical and emotional development, as well as containing articles on nutrition in the early years and information about the Change4Life toolkit.
Early Years is a quarterly magazine aimed at everyone who works with young children and their families. Subscription is free. The magazine features good practice, innovation and different views from right across the sector, so there's something for childminders or nursery workers, or those who work with Sure Start services in any way, as well as for their leaders and managers.
The winter edition and supplement can be viewed by clicking http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/research/publications/earlyyearsmagazine/earlyyearsmagazine/

Alternatively, to order a hard copy, contact:
DCSF Publications
Tel: 0845 60 222 60
Quoting reference 01053-2009MAG-EN
For further information contact:
Penny Baker
penny.baker@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7783 8159
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08 - Guide to using the new UK-WHO 0-4 years growth charts
DH, in association with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the World Health Organisation, has published a new guide Using the new UK-World Health Organization 0-4 years growth charts. This guide, aimed at health professionals who regularly or occasionally weigh and measure babies and infants, provides information about how to use and interpret the new charts. The new charts, which were introduced in May, are based on the growth of breastfed infants and replace previous charts that were based on the growth of predominantly formula-fed babies.
The guide can be ordered online at http://www.orderline.dh.gov.uk or by calling Prolog on 0300 123 1002, quoting publication number 294502.
DH and RCPCH recommend that anyone who measures a child or plots or interprets charts should be suitably trained in order to familiarise themselves with the changes to the charts. Growth chart educational materials can be downloaded from http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/Research/UK-WHO-Growth-Charts
For further information about the new growth charts, and to download a copy of the guide, click

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Children/Maternity/Maternalandinfantnutrition/UK-WHOgrowthcharts/index.htm
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09 - Early intervention and the role of health services – join the debate
The government will be publishing a consultation document on improving early intervention for children, young people and families who would benefit from extra help to prevent problems escalating. The consultation provides an opportunity for people to put forward examples of good practice already in hand to support vulnerable families and thoughts on how we can ensure higher-quality, more consistent practice across the country.
As well as enabling smarter investment in the longer term, effective early intervention is better for families too. The government wants to know how health professionals are contributing to better early intervention through Healthy Schools, the Healthy Child Programme and Sure Start Children's Centres. At a strategic level, they want to hear about how Children’s Trust Boards are helping to set a clear framework for early intervention across their local areas.
To view the consultation and send in your views before March 2010, click
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/
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10 - Think Family Guidance
'Think Family' is an explicitly cross-departmental programme jointly funded by DCSF, the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and DH and supported by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Since April 2009, all local authorities have received increased funding to support the introduction of:
• 'Think Family' practice - making sure that the support provided by children's, adults and family services is coordinated and takes account of how individual problems affect the whole family.
• Targeted support for parents and families - such as Family Intervention Projects and Parenting Early Intervention Programmes designed to provide evidence-based support to families experiencing problems.

The toolkit includes many examples of local practice, research findings, sources of reference and contributions from a range of Government Departments and local agencies and covers:
• Emerging practice in implementing 'Think Family' Systems and Services and working with adult services
• Targeted support for parents and families and Family Intervention Projects
• Evidence and cost effectiveness for parenting and family interventions
• Safeguarding children supported through family interventions

For further information and to view the toolkit click
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/parents/ID91askclient/thinkfamily/tf/

http://publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-00685-2009&
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11 - Start4Life
http://www.nhs.uk/start4life/Pages/welcome-to-start4life.aspx

The Start4Life campaign will support front line staff to deliver the healthy child programme by supporting pregnant women and parents of babies to establish good feeding and activity habits for their babies to help them reduce the risk of becoming obese in later life. This page gives more information.
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12 - Parenting leaflets
Preparing for a new birth, dealing with stress, comforting a crying baby, and managing difficult behaviour without smacking.
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/helpandadvice/publications/leaflets/parentingleaflets_wda38357.html

Handle with care

Advice on holding and handling your baby safely.
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/publications/Downloads/handlewithcare_wdf48134.pdf
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13 - Difficult child protection cases for the Court of Appeal
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2009/11/20/113209/difficult-child-protection-cases-for-the-court-of-appeal.htm

A review of recent decisions by the appeal court in child protection cases where parenting skills and co-operation with authorities were in doubt
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14 - Thrombosis and Embolism during Pregnancy and the Puerperium, Reducing the Risk (Green-top 37)
This is the second edition of this guideline, which was published in 2004 under the title Thromboprophylaxis During Pregnancy, Labour and after Vaginal Delivery. The aim of this guideline is to provide advice, based on clinical evidence where available, regarding the prevention of VTE during pregnancy, birth and following delivery. Of note, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline on venous thromboembolism (due November 2009) includes pregnancy and the puerperium as risk factors and the present guideline aims to be consistent with the clinical practice recommendations included in the NICE guideline.

http://www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/reducing-risk-of-thrombosis-greentop37
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15 - Untold Damage: Children's accounts of living with harmful parental drinking
New research reveals that a high number of calls to ChildLine from young people concerned about their parents harmful drinking come from children in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK. The study carried out by ChildLine and SHAAP highlights children’s accounts of the severe negative impacts of harmful parental drinking on their lives including emotional stress, physical abuse and neglect.

FROM DOCUMENT:

“There is also growing recognition of the extended spectrum of harm to children and young people associated with drinking in pregnancy and the Scottish
Government has identified the need to sponsor research which will attempt to identify the prevalence of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in Scotland”
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16 - Statutory guidance on promoting the health and well-being of looked after children
Revised Guidance on Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children has been published jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. It replaces the guidance, Promoting the Health of Looked After Children, published by the Department of Health in 2002, which was statutory on local authorities. The revised guidance is statutory on local authorities and also on Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities.
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Promoting_Health.pdf
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17 - Getting maternity services right for pregnant teenagers and young fathers: Second edition - 2009
This guide is aimed at practitioners working in mainstream services or areas where the prevalence of teenage pregnancy is relatively low and where there are no dedicated services for pregnant teenagers. It sets out the reasons why it is important to improve the maternity service offered to young parents, and offers practical guidance on working with pregnant teenagers and young fathers.
http://publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-00673-2009.pdf
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18 - AIMH Clinical Workshop
info@aimh.org.uk

CLINICAL WORKSHOP - Saturday 27 February 2010 - 10am-3pm - The Tavistock Clinic London NW3

'Fragile Babies, Fragile Relationships in Neonatal Units : Interactions between Babies, Parents and Staff'.

This workshop will be presented by Margaret Cohen, Child Psychotherapist and Author of 'Sent Before My Time' (Karnac Books 2003). Janet Taljaard, Perinatal Clinical Psychologist for NICU/SCBU North East London Foundation Trust will also be presenting 'Broken Dreams : Tentative Hopes' based on her work with parents and babies in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Andrea Green
Administrator - AIMH UK

Association For Infant Mental Health (UK)
27 Old Gloucester Street, London,
WC1N 3AX

Tel: 0208 144 2386

AIMH UK is a Company Registered within England and Wales, Company Registration 3219779
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19 - Effective interventions where there are concerns about, or evidence of, a child suffering significant harm - expert briefing
An interim version of the briefing - The full version of this briefing will be available later in the year.
http://www.c4eo.org.uk/themes/safeguarding/files/safeguarding_briefing_1.pdf
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20 - Posting on behalf of Norfolk Infant Mental Heath Team
from Richard.Pratt@norfolk-pct.nhs.uk

Like many other services we’ve been asked to look into evaluating our work.

We’ve downloaded the Parent-Infant Relationship Global assessment (PIR-GAS) which looks potentially helpful.

However, could anyone advise on how clinicians’ have ensured reliability in the rating?

I recall with the C-GAS going through with colleagues a number of scenarios and comparing our ratings, although this was not an externally evaluated process.

With thanks

Dr Richard Pratt
Clinical Psychologist, Infant Mental Health Team, Norfolk Community Health Care
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21 - Protecting Children Locally: Using Serious Case Reviews to Improve Practice
Dear Colleague,

I enclose details of the forthcoming Policy and Practice Westminster Briefing, to be hosted by the House Magazine in Westminster.
Title: Protecting Children Locally: Using Serious Case Reviews to Improve Practice
Date: 18th March 2010
Time: 10.30am-3.15pm
Venue: Westminster
Cost: £175 - £225 per place
For full details please visit the Westminster Briefing Website
http://dods.msgfocus.com/c/15EUPB0GykEojp6e
The Context
In spite of the increased focus on Serious Case Reviews (SCR), Ofsted’s latest evaluation of 173 SCRs has found that there is still significant room for improvement in the process. While 23% of reviews were judged good and 43% adequate, weaknesses still existed in over a third of reviews (34%) that were judged as inadequate. The clear message is that even more needs to be done to ensure the review process improves the way children are protected from harm across the country.

The Issues
Delegates at this Policy and Practice Westminster Briefing will have the opportunity to examine in detail what is known about the SCR process and the implications for local practice in undertaking SCRs. Engaging with the panel, key issues to be addressed at this Policy and Practice Briefing will include:
• The role of the Local Safeguarding Children Board in commissioning a Serious Case Review
• Independent chairs and overview writers
• Gathering evidence for Serious Case Reviews
• The place of Individual Management Reviews
• Serious Case Reviews that span more than one area
• The impact of judicial procedures on Serious Case Reviews
• The role of Ofsted in evaluating case reviews
• Applying lessons learned in the local area and beyond
Objectives and Outcomes
The morning policy session will allow participants to engage with the panel in discussion over the most effective approaches to carrying out Serious Case Reviews in the wider context of child protection locally and nationally; while the afternoon policy into practice session will be highly interactive with case study examples and group discussions focusing on how Serious Case Reviews are carried out. For further details please View Full Agenda - http://dods.msgfocus.com/c/15EV2wzuFpseFj6D
Who should Attend?
Delegates will be drawn from across the children’s services sector, including LSCB members, local government officers and members, PCT representatives and health professionals and the police, central government departments & bodies, unions and academia.


To register for this event or to view further details, please use the links above or contact me using the details below.
Best wishes,

Guy Evans-Tipping
Managing Director, Westminster Briefing
Email: Guy.Evans-Tipping@westminster-briefing.com
Phone: 020 7096 2920
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22 - What About The Children?
National Conference
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
The Resource Centre 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA
Delegate Fee £70 ( lunch, tea and coffee included)

'What is critical for a child's healthy
emotional development'


Speakers:
Lane Strathearn, (MBBS, FRACP) Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Dr Strathearn’s field is developmental paediatrics, with neuro biology of mother infant attachment as a particular area of interest.
Jane Barlow, (DPhil; FFPH Hon) Professor of Public Health in the Early Years at Warwick University.
Professor Barlow’s areas of interest include the effectiveness of early interventions in the primary prevention of mental health problems. She is particularly interested in the evaluation of interventions that are directed at promoting the parent-infant relationship.

Janice Saunders, Project Worker/Trainer for Parents as First Teachers.

Anna Marley, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, NHS.

Heather Stevenson, Independent Trainer and Counsellor

Carol Mannion, Developmental Therapist

Pamela Stewart, Psychotherapist HMP Holloway

Comments about last year’s national conference
‘Excellent event. Fantastic speakers, very accessible. I am left feeling energised and reinvigorated’- Early Years Professional

‘Excellent conference as always – well reflected with all speakers’- Parent

‘I attended my first What About The Children? Conference last year and felt that it was the best conference I had attended for a long time. I welcomed the opportunity to attend again this year’- Health Visitor


For Booking Form and more information please see our web site http://www.whataboutthechildren.org.uk
or contact
Conference Organiser Cath Armstrong - cath.armstrong@yahoo.co.uk
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23 - Certificate in Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – Level 3
This programme is designed to increase recognition and appropriate care of children, youths and adults who have been adversely affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol. relatively un-publicised syndrome.

Many clinicians, teachers and most families, have limited clinical expertise in this

This programme has been drawn up in conjunction with FASawareUK - http://www.fasaware.co.uk

http://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/FoetalAlcoholSpectrumDisordersFASD-Product-398.html

http://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk
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24 - Swine flu and pregnancy: How to protect yourself and your baby
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_108153

This leaflet gives information about: the swine flu vaccination that you can have during pregnancy to help protect you and your baby; precautions you can take to reduce your risk of infection; treatments that are available if you do become ill.
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25 - Scottish good practice guidelines for supporting parents with learning disabilities
is a new publication aimed at providing practical guidance to social work departments and other agencies that support people with learning disabilities who become parents.
http://www.scld.org.uk/scld-projects/working-with-parents/parenting-guidelines.xhtml
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26 - Improving Safety, Reducing Harm: Children, young people and domestic violence
This toolkit provides information about children, domestic violence and related issues, including risk assessment and safety planning information, guidance for schools, as well as sample forms and key fact sheets.
Visit http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_108704.pdf


Elaine Hanzak
www.hanzak.com