Latest
National acclaim for Sefton baby bonding scheme
2 years ago
A Sefton based scheme which helps vulnerable parents to better bond with their newborns has been hailed in Parliament.
The Sefton Building Bonds and Attachment Service (BABS) was launched in January 2022 and is running a 12 month pilot scheme to help vulnerable parents within the borough to bond with their newborn babies, as well as promote positive mental health for new families.
Based across Sefton Councilâs dedicated Family Wellbeing Centre network, the Sefton BABS pilot is being co-run by both the Local Authority and partners in the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.
The project has already garnered praise across the health industry and representatives from BABS were this week invited to present a special report to a special parliamentary panel in Westminster.
Psychologist Dr Lisa Marsland Hall of Mersey Care Foundation NHS Trust and Sefton Councilâs Early Help Manager for Locality Services Majella Maguire were invited to present their work by the Parent Infant Foundation.
Seftonâs Majella Maguire said: âIt certainly was an honour to be able to present our work so far on Parent Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing, especially in the 1001 days which is the time from conception through to the childâs second birthday.
âWe are so proud to have been given this opportunity to showcase the work of BABS. By offering specialist, therapeutic parent-infant mental health support during pregnancy and in the postnatal period â we can help parents to ‘separate out’ their own past and present struggles and issues.
âThis small window of opportunity in a personâs life to âget it rightâ is so very important. To add to this, we are in a period where âLockdown Babiesâ and their families have had little or no social interactions and the need for support to development parent-infant bonds and attachment has increased further still.â