Kevin Nugent to speak in Galway and Dublin

Dr Kevin Nugent, Founder and Director of the Brazelton Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital and Professor Emeritus of Child and Family Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst will be delivering the keynote address at the annual conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland on Friday the 13th of November in Galway followed by a workshop on Monday the 16th of November in Dublin. Initial details are published on the PSI website with full booking details for IAIMH and PSI members to follow.

Infant Mental Health Network Group Evaluation launched in North Cork

On Friday the 17th of July 2015 Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Primary Care, Social Care (Disabilities & Older People) and Mental Health, visited Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre to help launch research carried out by the HSE North Cork Child & Family Primary Care Psychology Service and the North Cork Community Work Department (HSE and Tusla).

Catherine Maguire and Rochelle Matacz, Clinical Psychologists with the HSE North Cork Child & Family Psychology Services, had identified an increasing number of infants and toddlers presenting with problems associated within attachment, parent-child interaction difficulties, and emotional regulation issues. However no service framework existed for the provision of emotional health services to the 0-3 age group at that time. Consequently they developed the IMH Network model in 2006, an interdisciplinary, community-based network comprising of early years professionals working in statutory and community teams. In 2009 North Cork Child & Family Psychology met with the HSE North Cork Community Work team to explore how IMH networks could be developed in the local community to consolidate and integrate IMH learning into service delivery. Today there are three inter- disciplinary IMH Network groups operating in the North Cork area with high demand for more. 

In order to assess the impact and efficacy of the North Cork IMH network Group model a piece of research was commissioned combining quantitative and qualitative tools. The full research report outlines the key strengths and challenges of the IMH network model, the potential outcomes for infants and their families when IMH practice is applied, the impact of IMH knowledge for frontline early years practitioners, and recommendations at national level. A summary is contained within the following Brochure. 

Further information can be found on the HSE website IMH Network Group Evaluation North Cork. 

AIMH UK CONFERENCE 2015

Antenatal Mental Health: Keeping the Baby in Mind

AIMH UK’s 2015 conference will be held on the 16th of September 2015 in Northampton. For further information please see AIMH UK’s website.

Infant Mental Health Network Groups

Some members of IAIMH are involved in establishing and supporting IMH Network Groups around the country. These groups are educational and supportive and tend to use a reflective practice model. Members are drawn from a range of disciplines working across healthcare, social care, and childcare. IMH Network Groups are currently operating in Mallow and Fermoy in Co. Cork, Blackrock in Cork City, Clonmel in Co. Tipperary, Louth, and Ballymun in Dublin. For further information please email us on imhireland@gmail.com

15th World Congress of the World Association of Infant Mental Health

The next international WAIMH Congress will be held in Prague May 29- June 2 2016. The theme of the congress will be Infant Mental Health in a Rapidly Changing World: Conflict, Adversity, and Resilience. The event will be jointly hosted by the Palestinian and Israeli Infant Mental Health Associations. For further information please see the WAIMH website.