Introduction
This service mapping tool has been developed by the Parent-Infant Foundation to help areas to map what Parent-Infant relationship support is available in their area, and to identify any gaps in provision.
Parent-Infant relationship support can exist in different parts of the system and this tool will:
- Take you through different areas to find out what exists in each sector.
- Build a comprehensive map of what is and isn't available.
- Help you build pathways in services.
It focuses on answering the following questions:
- What Parent-Infant relationship and perinatal mental health support is available?
- Is this support offered at a universal, targeted or specialist level?
- Are services available to any parent and infant under 2 or is anyone excluded?
- What is missing from the map of support and what could be developed to address this?
How to use the tool
Click on each tab and work through the questions for each sector. You can put ‘No Service’ if nothing is available in this sector.
The completed form, along with a summary of your service mapping will be emailed to you when you click submit on the final tab.
This mapping exercise would ideally be completed as part of a multi-agency workshop with representation from relevant parts of the system in health, children’s social care and the third sector. However, it can also be undertaken as a desk-based exercise with input from each sector.
At any point you can click the 'Save and continue later' button. This will generate an email sent to you with a link to your saved form. You can circulate that link to others in your team if multiple people are completing the form.
What good looks like
The promotion of bonding and emotional attachment is recommended in NICE guidance at several points. For example:
- NICE guidance recommends an assessment is made of the parent-infant relationship antenatally and postnatally and that further interventions are offered if needed.
- NICE guidance also recommends more specialist interventions are offered for infants at risk of going into care.
Local Health and Wellbeing plans and other strategies may also reflect these recommendations.
You can also use the tool to assess how far you are meeting your local plans in relation to Parent-Infant relationship support.
Assessing the maturity of parent-infant teams
You can find our definition of what constitutes a good specialised Parent-Infant team here – or undertake our self-audit based on this definition here.