New National Parent-Infant Relationship Framework programme launches to transform early support for babies and their families  

Last night the Parent-Infant Foundation team and key partners celebrated the start of the programme to develop a new National Parent-Infant Relationship (PAIR) Framework.  

The National PAIR Framework is being developed thanks to a successful bid to the National Lottery Community Fund earlier this year. Led by the Parent-Infant Foundation with delivery partners Ideas Alliance (co-production) and Anna Freud (research).  

The launch event, held at the Royal College of Nursing in central London, marks the beginning of the four-year programme. The event brought together key partners, professionals and teams from across the sector who will have a crucial role to play in the Framework’s development.  

Many of the attendees at the launch event will form part of a National Advisory Group which the Framework project team will report to. The National Advisory Group is made up of professional stakeholders with representation from key workforce groups, professional bodies, clinical leads from parent-infant teams and other specialists in the sector.  

Co-production and the baby’s voice will also be core components of building the Framework, guided by a national co-production panel. 

Becky Saunders, who has joined the Parent-Infant Foundation as Strategic Clinical Lead for the PAIR Framework spoke at the event. Becky noted: 

“I am really excited for the opportunity to lead the development of the Parent-Infant Relationship Framework programme alongside the core programme team and our delivery partners, Ideas Alliance and Anna Freud. The process of developing this Framework will be as important as the outputs. It will be through building relationships, through working together to define problems and build consensus, that we will influence change.  

“We have this amazing opportunity, but we know there will be challenges too. The framework needs to be relevant for families with different levels of need, for professionals and practitioners with different training and experience, for different services in different parts of the system.   

“With this launch, it is about more than a start of a programme—we are making a commitment to babies and parents. We are stating that babies matter and deserve the best start in life, relationships matter, and that early intervention is powerful.”   

Keith Reed, Chief Executive at the Parent-Infant Foundation also spoke at the event, he said: 

“It is a real pleasure to welcome key partners and stakeholders into this programme as we embark on this journey together, united by a shared commitment of putting babies right at the centre of what we do.  

“And babies are the heartbeat of the Framework.  Because too many miss out on the nurturing, sensitive relationships that shape lifelong health. At least 1 in 10 babies are at risk of disorganised attachment, living in fear, confusion and distress. Many more face difficult early relationships and need support. Families often meet fragmented systems with little joined-up care. Local leaders lack the clear standards and resources they need, leaving provision patchy and short-term.  

“This programme will change that. Its standards and pathways will be shaped by parents and babies themselves and set out how they fit together in real life. We can’t wait to get started.” 

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