11/06/2024
Our Health Improvement, Equality and Involvement Department, held a successful Infant Mental Health Event, funded by the Public Health Agency on Friday 7th June 2024 in Mellon Country Inn, Omagh. Many professionals and organisations were in attendance.
The aim of this event was to raise awareness of Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (10th-16th June 2024), focusing on this year’s theme, “Speak up for Babies”.
Statutory, community and voluntary services provided information stalls during the event to show case a flavour of support services and programmes available throughout the Western Trust. Services included Family Nurse Partnership, Perinatal Mental Health, Infant feeding/Breastfeeding, Tiny Life, Speech & Language, Community Food & Nutrition, Support 2gether, Surestarts, Toybox, Henry Programme, Mental Health Liaison Service, NSPCC, Action for Children, Parentline, Family Support NI, Newpin NI, and Smoking Cessation.
Kevin Duffy, Assistant Director of Child Health & Disability at the Western Trust welcomed everyone to the morning and looked forward to listening to the three influential speakers planned.
First speaker of the day was Professor Nicola Doherty, Lead Psychologist for the Regional Trauma Network and Nicola highlighted:
“There is still an under recognition of the key importance of the early years as key for individual and societal outcomes. Only one in five people recognised the 0-5 period as the most important stage of development (Ipsos | Understanding attitudes to early childhood | Report 1 | June 2023) yet shifting the focus and investment to this crucial time would be transformational. It is the adults in the systems that these youngest citizens inhabit who can represent them. We can be the difference, we need everyone to ‘Speak Up For Babies’.
Next speaker was Nicola Burchmore, Infant Feeding Lead at the Western Trust. She shared with colleagues the importance of UNICEF baby friendly standards for Children services and the importance of breastfeeding services. A mummy, shared a very passionate account of her breastfeeding journey and the positive impact it has had emotionally for herself, her children and her family as a whole.
Final speaker was Dr Ray Nethercott, Consultant Paediatrician at the Western Trust. He reminded us what we ‘want for our children’, confidence, creativity, connectedness, independence and resilience. Resilience being very important. He urged everyone to throw a pebble in the water to spread the ripples to create better outcomes for babies and not be afraid to nurture connection and become a real village to thrive.
Speaking about the success of the ‘Speak Up for Babies’ event Alison Gallagher, (Acting) Child Development Interventions Coordinator, Health Improvement Equality Involvement Department, Western Trust said:
“Today’s event celebrated all community, voluntary and statutory organisations who are delivering valuable services throughout the Western Trust area to support babies, parents and families. It was a great networking opportunity reminding professionals within the room, everyone needs to work together across services and it is everyone’s business to “Speak up for Babies”
Maurice Meehan, Head of Health & Social Wellbeing Improvement (N), PHA closed the event and asked everyone in attendance to complete the “Speak up for Babies” pledge.
