Why is an Infant Mental Health Network Important in our Community?
As practitioners, we know that many parents with infants and toddlers in the Dublin 7 & 1 area are impacted greatly by systemic issues such as housing/homelessness and food poverty. Many children are living with the experience of domestic violence and addiction within their families. Parents are struggling with their own mental health often due to the stress of parenting alone, discrimination, lack of supports, isolation and loneliness, financial stress, inadequate access to healthcare and social supports. In turn parenting and the relationship that develops with their child can be negatively impacted. Parents are actively seeking support to parent positively and in Dublin 7 & 1 we want to ensure parents are met with the supports they need and a shared understanding across services of IMH and the application of its theory across practices, ensuring best outcomes for children in our community.
The Establishment of the Dublin 7 & 1 Infant Mental Health Network
The Infant Mental Health (IMH) Network Dublin 7 & 1 was established in June 2024 by One Family in partnership with ABC Grangegorman. Our membership is made up of local partners working in front line practice in local child and family community projects, schools, early years services; NGO’s based in the area or who are supporting children and parents in the area; HSE practitioners engaged in primary care, including the disability network and maternity care and finally a diverse range of Tusla staff working front line with children and parents in the Dublin 7 & 1 areas. Overall, we have a very multidisciplinary IMH Network, which we hope as our Network evolves will allow for great learning which in turn will benefit the infants, toddlers, young children and parents living in our communities.
Our Aim
The IMH Network in Dublin 7 & 1 aims to increase awareness and understanding of the IMH theory and its practical application. We will hopefully do this through the regular meetings of the IMH Network which will provide a forum for discussion, learning and reflection on our practice, as well as highlight for us the needs and gaps that may exist in our own knowledge, our community, and in turn, service provision.
We have been successful in 2024 in securing funding to establish an IMH Training Network, funded through The Wheel, which will allow us to respond to the training needs of front-line practitioners across the community (2024-2026).
What is Infant Mental Health?
Infant Mental Health (IMH) is an interdisciplinary field and embraces the importance of promoting positive mental health development within a relational framework with the child’s caregiver(s). IMH practice is best understood along a continuum which includes promotion, prevention, intervention and treatment integrated across services and disciplines. IMH
principles incorporate developmental, clinical and preventative perspectives that inform the practice of service providers of different disciplines whose original training may have emphasised a different knowledge base and different skills. Some lack knowledge about infant development and behaviour in the early years but have a strong clinical understanding.
Others are well prepared to meet the developmental needs of very young children but may be new to infant mental health principles and practices. For most, working within a relational framework is new and requires specialised education and training relevant to each individual discipline but, more importantly, also on how best to integrate IMH principles across disciplines and services
Reference: Infant Mental Health Learning Networks, North Cork, Evaluation of an interdisciplinary model for integrating Infant Mental Health principles into everyday clinical practice and service in the community https://www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/Evaluation_of_an_interdisciplinary_model_for_integrating_Infant_Mental_Health_principles_into_everyday_clinical_practice_and_service_in_the_community.pdf
Who can join our IMH Network
Membership is open to front line practitioners working in the Dublin 7 or 1 area, whose work engages them with infants, young children and/or parents and who feel they would benefit from peer support and gaining a deeper understanding of how IMH theory could support practice and service provision.
How to Join
Contact Geraldine Kelly – Infant Mental Health Network Chair (Dublin 7 & 1) | Director of Parenting & Professional Development | One Family gkelly@onefamily.ie
Members are asked to complete a Master Class in Infant Mental Health. More information will be shared.
When do the IMH Meet?
The IMH Network Dublin 7 & 1 meet once every 6 weeks via TEAMS for 9 months of the year and once a year in person for a longer period. Each session is led by a member or guest and members are asked to share in the discussion for their own learning and that of others in the Network.
Geraldine Kelly | Coordinator – Infant Mental Health Network | Director of Parenting & Professional Development – One Family | gkelly@onefamily.ie | 01 6629212