Together with Baby (Essex Parent Infant Mental Health Service)

Summary

Together with Baby (Essex Parent Infant Mental Health Service) is a specialist parent and infant mental health service designed to help parents better understand their baby’s emotional responses and communications, as well as strengthen the relationship between them.

Many parents find that they have not bonded with their baby in the way that they had hoped. Some may also have difficult feelings regarding the experience of parenting, which may feel confusing and uncomfortable. The Together with Baby service works with parents and their infants in the first 1001 days of their life, from conception to age two.

Service Information

The service offers a safe and non-judgemental space to help parents further understand the difficulties they are facing.

We understand families come in different forms and accept referrals for all people who identify as a primary care-giver for the child. It isn't necessary for a caregiver to be a biological parent to access our service. we welcome requests for support from single parents, step-parents, parents from the LGBTQIA+ community, parents from ethnic minorities, parents that conceived via adoption, surrogacy, IVF methods and so on.
We are a team of Clinical Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Parent-Infant Therapists, who offer a range of therapeutic treatments including both individual and group-based interventions. We initially meet with parents and infants for an assessment to gain an understanding of their needs and jointly create an individualised treatment plan.

Alongside our therapeutic work we also offer teaching and consultation to healthcare professionals working in Early Years settings. We are keen to build closer working relationships with local services and share our specialist infant mental health expertise through consultation. If you are a professional working with families that are struggling with their parent-infant relationships, please get in touch via telephone or email to discuss the support we can provide.

We work Essex-wide and cover the following localities:

  • North East Essex (Colchester, Clacton, Harwich)
  • Mid Essex (Chelmsford, Maldon, Braintree)
  • South Essex (Basildon, Southend, Thurrock)
  • West Essex (Stansted, Harlow, Loughton)

Our team work in the community and can offer face-to-face appointments in parents’ homes or local children’s centres as well as remote assessments/sessions using both telephone and video software.

Referral Information

Parents can self-refer or their involved staff such as a GP, mental health worker, Health Visitor or Midwife, can refer of their behalf, using our referral form and guide for completing the form. Please contact us directly for more information or for support with making a referral.  

Additional Information to support referral criteria
When making a referral it would be helpful to know what other services are already involvedWhen making a referral it would be helpful to know what other services are already involved. 

The referral will be processed and the referrer will be informed of receipt of referral within five working days.

Referral criteria

  • Parent is concerned that they are not bonding with their baby
  • Parent is concerned that they do not have a positive relationship with their baby
  • Parent is concerned that a difficult relationship with their own parent(s) is having a negative impact on their capacity to connect with/parent their baby.
  • Parent is concerned with negative thoughts and feelings about the relationship with their baby
  • Parent has encountered a traumatic experience that is impacting on the developing relationship with their baby
  • Parents are facing additional difficulties such as physical or emotional ill health that may be having a negative impact on their experience of becoming a parent.

Exclusion from the service

  • The parent and infant does not live within Essex
  • The referral is not for the primary carer
  • The infant is over 24 months of age
  • The infant is not in contact with the parent
  • The parent is not available to attend the assessment and interventions appointments
  • The relationship with the infant is not under stress
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