Putting the baby first in perinatal mental health
By Christine Puckering, 2021
Fellow’s Profile
Fellow’s Profile
Putting the baby first in perinatal mental health
Supporting the mental health of vulnerable infants and their families through baby-first methods
2015
Scotland
I am a clinical psychologist with a particular interest in very early parent-child relationships, usually seen through an attachment lens.
My Fellowship aimed to look at countries where children were thriving according to the UNICEF Innocenti Index, to learn what they did to identify risk early in the child's life and alleviate that risk. I wanted to look as early as possible in the child's life, even antenatally, as I believe that those early experiences form the foundation for later development and wellbeing.
Since my return, I have been acting as a trustee to Maternal Mental Health Scotland and as a Scottish hub co-ordinator for the Association for Infant Mental Health UK. I try whenever and wherever possible to ask 'What about the babies?'
Recently, there has been a real shift in legislation and practice in Scotland and investment in infant mental health. I don't for one moment think it was only down to me, but I think that as an active researcher, teacher and clinician my voice has contributed to positive change.
By Christine Puckering, 2021
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
By Christine Puckering, 2021
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.