ESCW(PH)4865 Parent and Infant Wellbeing Training Programme

Contract Title: Parent and Infant Wellbeing Training Programme Contract Ref: ESCW(PH)4865 The London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH) is seeking expressions of interest from interested organisations for the above services and / or goods. Description: The Public Health Department at London Borough of Tower Hamlets wishes to commission a suitable provider to develop and deliver a training programme for peer supporters, volunteers and staff from community organisations, childrens centres and other early years services to provide support for parents and carers during pregnancy and the first year of the babys life to promote parent and infant wellbeing. Pre-birth and the early years are a critical period for physical, emotional, social and cognitive development with lifelong effects on health and wellbeing.

There is growing evidence and recognition that a babys social, emotional and cognitive development is affected by the quality of their attachment to their parents and that a range of interacting factors, such as parental wellbeing and parent child relationships, impact on the childs resilience, ability to regulate their emotions and long term risk of mental illness. Supporting mothers emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period is now recognised to be as important as the traditional focus on the physical health of the mother and child. The training provider will work closely with the Locality Parent and Infant Wellbeing Coordinators (commissioned separately) to recruit peer supporters and volunteers onto the training programme. The training programme will also be open to other staff working in voluntary and community organisations, childrens centres and other early years services in similar or related roles in order to promote a consistent approach and increase capacity across the Borough. While the primary focus of the training programme will be on promoting maternal mental health, supporting secure emotional attachment, parent /infant communication, sensitive attuned parenting and peer support the training will also address other key influences on parent and infant health such as nutrition, oral health and injury prevention to ensure a holistic approach. The maximum funding available for this contract is 40,000/year for 2 years with a one-off 15,000 for start-up costs. Anticipated outcomes of the whole programme:

Parents who are confident in their parenting attachment, bonding, communication and care of their children and/or able to access the relevant support required to assist in those areas if required Well supported families that are informed of other relevant services in the Borough Babies who are confident, emotionally secure and resilient with good foundations for lifelong health and wellbeing Reduced incidence of unidentified postnatal depression and/or puerperal psychosis and increased early identification, intervention and management of the risk factors.