Annual report reveals the Parent-Infant Foundation is supporting more babies through specialised parent-infant teams than ever before.

The Foundations’ work is driven by our mission to support the growth and quality of specialised parent-infant relationship teams across the UK to give babies the best possible start to life.

 

We are pleased to share our annual report, which describes what the Foundation team achieved, with our partners, in 2020-21, including key statistics and quotes demonstrating the value and impact of our work.

 

Much of our work involves supporting established and emerging specialist parent-infant relationship teams. Working with them, we have helped the number of parent-infant teams in the UK to grow from 29 in 2019 to 39 today.

 

We continued to support teams in a number of ways in 2021-22. We were pleased to see increased use of our Implementation Toolkit for specialised parent-infant relationship teams, which has now been accessed by 4000 unique individuals. We delivered regular training and shared best practice through the Parent-Infant Teams Network, including monthly webinars attended by up to 220 people at any one time. And we provided clinicians around the country with bespoke support on topics such as impact statements, data collection as well as helping commissioners to shape their local service.

 

A member of the Together for Baby Team in Essex commented on how important our work with them has been:

“Having the Parent-Infant Foundation there has really made a difference. It’s given us a framework, a framework of development, a framework of training, supportive partners, other people who’ve been through this development. You know, really, it’s immeasurable,  I think, the value that that’s brought.”

 

The Foundation worked across the UK last year. This included supporting the national infant mental health implementation programme in Scotland by running a development network and providing direct help setting up specialised parent-infant relationship teams in 2 areas; undertaking research on the need for parent-infant relationship support in three Welsh local authorities, and working with partners to secure a commitment to extend Children and Adolescents’ Mental Health Services for children under three in Northern Ireland.

 

The Parent-Infant Foundation’s other successes over the year included:

• Establishing new partnerships with Blackpool Better Start, Cambridge University, Newcastle University and others to develop the evidence-base on the impact of parent-infant teams and undertake research to support their effective operation;
• Undertaking and publishing research with partners, supported by communications activity to shine a light on the impact of the pandemic on babies and their families.
• Running the biggest Infant Mental Health Awareness Week to date; and
• Achieving lasting policy change by working with our allies in the First 1001 Days Movement, such as the publication of the Best Start for Life – A Vision for the 1001 critical days underpinned by £300m investment.

 

Keith Reed, Chief Executive of the Parent-Infant Foundation, said:

“The past year has been a very challenging one for everyone. I’m proud that the Parent-Infant Foundation has managed to deliver so many successful outcomes in these difficult circumstances. The growth of specialised parent-infant relationship teams to 39, with another 13 developing as emerging teams is great news for babies and their families.”

 

“I would like to thank the parent-infant teams we work with for their commitment to improving the lives of babies in their communities; our funders, without whom it would not be possible to improve the life chances for so many babies, and our staff team.”

 

“Our work to support babies and their families is needed now more than ever. In 2020, there were 32,400 babies and children under 5 in care, or on a child protection plan across England alone. This motivates us to continue our good work and build on our successes over the coming years.”

 

You can download the full report here.

 

The accounts and financial statements contained within this version of the report have been designed for a more general audience. The full official accounts can be found on the Charity Commission website: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5031076/accounts-and-annual-returns