Supporting families in the community

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Supporting families in the community
Georgina Alpe - Health Visitor
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Aim of presentation

• To understand how Health Care Professionals work
  to support the 0 3 Framework by providing
  opportunities for parents to learn and develop
  with their children
• To describe the theoretical model which underpins
  our work.
• To highlight three groups which are currently
  running

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Who we are

• We come from a nursing background and work in the
  community
• We are based geographically and have recently
  become attached to Childrens Centres. This
  means we are now working in partnership with
  nursery schools, play groups, other community
  services for children, and have become involved
  with 0 3 Matters
• We also work closely with other health
  professionals such as doctors, midwives, speech
  therapists and psychologists.

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Neighbourhood Analysis

• Our working area has a high incident of
• the following
• Social isolation
• Domestic violence
• Poor housing
• Unemployment
• Poor mental health
• Low self esteem
• Teenage mothers
• Single parents

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What we do

• Our role is mainly preventative. All families are
  offered an ante natal visit at home and then
  ongoing post natal support which includes home
  visiting and through groups and clinics.
• Our work concentrates on childrens development
  and the emotional and physical health of the
  child and their families.
• More vunerable families are offered extra
  support.

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How we work

• The best way to describe how Health Visitors work
  is by the theoretical model which underpins the
  Solihull Approach.
• The 0 3 Framework sits comfortably alongside
  this approach and is interchangeable. We support
  the 0 3 Framework by supporting the parents
  with their children, helping them to understand
  and enjoy their childs emotional and physical
  development.
• The training and regular supervision has helped
  to forge stronger links with the nursery staff,
  play group leaders and child minders
  co-ordinator.
• This has improved communication has enabled
  children and their families receive appropriate
  support and help.

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The Theoretical Model which underpins our practice
SOLIHULL APPROACH These three concepts are
closely linked although there is a progression
between them Reciprocity and containment are 2 of
the everyday processes that are vital to a
childs Development Socialisation Language
acquisition Ability to process emotions and
anxiety
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Containment

• Containment is a fundamental of what goes on
  between a mother and baby. It means the mother
  can grasp the importance of and take into herself
  some of the babies earliest and most primitive
  anxietiesShe can think about things in her own
  way without being caught up in them, overwhelmed
  by them herself.
• Babies with mothers who can take the panic out
  of their anxieties, eventually take into
  themselves some version of a mother who can
  manage who can get hold of something important
  emotionally without being knocked off balance by
  it. Eventually the baby takes into itselfthe
  mothers capacity to tolerate and manage anxiety.
• Sourced Garland 1998 cited in Solihull Approach
  Resource Pack (2004)

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Containment

• As care professionals, by listening, it is
  possible to also contain parents anxieties and
  overwhelming emotions. Restoring in them the
  ability to think and empowering them to solve
  their problems.

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Reciprocity

• Reciprocity is the process whereby the parent and
  infant actively develop their interaction and
  become in tune with each other (the dance
  Brazelton 94 )
• Stern 1995 used the idea of attachment to
  describe the reciprocal relationship between
  parent and child.

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• As health professionals we can encourage this
  process by observing parent/child interaction and
  offer feedback on how parents can become more in
  tune with their babies i.e. during Baby massage,
  baby clinics and post natal support groups.
• Once parents are able to think and try out new
  ideas and are in tune with their child, it is
  easier for them to develop behaviour skills and
  techniques.

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Behaviour Management

• Both reciprocity and containment are involved in
  Behaviour Management
• If a child has experienced inadequate emotional
  containment and insufficient reciprocity, it is
  highly likely that he/she will have behavioural
  problems

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Groups

• 3 Groups evolved to combat social isolation,
  improve mental health and encourage/maximise
  mother/baby relationships using the Solihull
  Approach
• Knit and Natter group
• Baby massage
• Mothers Group (mothers with depression)x3

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Knit and Natter

• This Group was set up as a craft group for the
  mothers in the area, it is funded by health and
  education, run by a Health Visitor and takes
  place in a large hall in the Childrens centre
• The children come as well and there is a large
  area in the same room for them to play in , a
  nursery nurse is there to help but the mothers
  are responsible for their own children
• The group was specifically to encourage socially
  isolated mothers to meet other mothers, to help
  raise their self esteem and enable them to begin
  to access other community resources
• Those who attended were by invitation
• The group has now been running for about 3yrs

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The Knit Natter Group
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Baby Massage

• We have an open group once a week, run by a
  Health Visitor or Nursery Nurse specifically
  trained in Baby Massage
• It is held in the centre and the atmosphere is
  very calm and relaxing, the mothers gain also by
  being part of a group and get to know each other.
• There is a great deal of evidence which supports
  the benefits of baby massage.

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Baby Massage

• BENEFITS FOR PARENTS
• Promotes closeness and focuses time together
  (including fathers)
• Increases parents abilities to relax their child
  in times of stress
• Increases self esteem of parents by reinforcing
  parenting skills
• Offers parents a time to relax and unwind
• Builds communication and respect between parent
  and child

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Baby Massage cont..

• BENEFITS FOR BABIES
• Helps relieve colic, tummy pains and teething
• Helps stimulate body systems (e.g., immune,
  respiratory, nervous, endocrine)
• Helps child cope with birth traumas
• Promotes better sleep
• Deepens bonding
• Improves communication

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Baby Massage Group
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Mothers Group

• This group initially started about 4 years ago
  run by 2 Health Visitors for mothers with
  severe/chronic depression.
• There are now 3 groups running, one of which is a
  self help group the mothers run themselves.
• The aim was to provide a therapeutic group which
  would enable mothers to work to improve their
  lives and mental health
• They function as closed groups 8-9 members.
  Confidentiality and mutual respect is required by
  all members.
• There is a crèche provided for the children
• Time 1 hr 30 minutes
• Venue 1 is in the childrens centre and the other
  2 are in a local church.

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Mothers Group
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Thankyou.