P I P P I N > Sure Start

HOW PIPPIN SUPPORTS SURE START

Supporting parents to be, parents & children & promoting the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children.

PIPPIN’s aim is to maintain and improve the emotional health and resilience of families through one of the most critical stages in people’s lives - the period surrounding the birth of a new baby.

Sure Start promotes the physical, intellectual, social and emotional development of young children from birth, in ways that are based on the evidence of what works.

Sure Start workers who have been trained by PIPPIN are integrating the PIPPIN approach into existing and new parenting classes. PIPPIN’s aim is to see that all parenting classes are run by professionals who have attended the kind of training required to really make a difference to parents. We achieve this by offering training and support programmes for all who work with children and families. PIPPIN courses are for individuals from all backgrounds (Sure Start, health, mental health, education, social services, childcare and the voluntary sector) who work with prospective and new parents and their infants. We provide specialist training within a multi-disciplinary framework to equip workers with the skills needed to support new parents during routine care, visits and parenting classes. The training is to a professional level, and can lead to a range of recognised qualifications (at further and higher education levels).

PIPPIN is recommended by the Sure Start Guide to Evidence Based Practice (Trailblazer Edition, 1999); by a Health Select Committee Report (HMSO, 1997) as well as an Expert Committee for the European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health as part of work carried out by a Health Education Authority Project for the Promotion of the Mental Health of Children aged 0-6 years (1998/1999).

What makes PIPPIN’s approach different? Aren’t conventional parenting classes enough?

It is important for parents to understand what babies feel but cannot say. In the past two decades, American psychologist Daniel Stern has shown that newborns and young children are never totally separate from their main carer. Children begin life open to building strong relationships and make direct contact through their bodily expressions. Early emotional experiences matter as does how parents and babies connect with each other from birth so that babies feel loved and parents know their babies love them. Studies show that making a difference to the emotional health of parents and infants requires something more than filling classes and talking about our own parenting or emotions. The hallmark of an effective approach is one that helps build a strong two-way attachment between babies and their main carers. Parents can learn how to reflect on their new relationship in the light of their own experiences and see how these might influence their ability to connect with those of their infant.

Typical antenatal and postnatal classes and support for new parents used to focus on helping women preparing women for childbirth & the practical aspects of looking after a baby. Studies have shown these to be innefective in assisting adjustment to parenthood. As a result of the work of PIPPIN & others, many professionals are now introducing feelings & the needs of the baby into classes. Like PIPPIN they are beginning to recognise that questions like "How will the birth affect you as parents? What emotions will you feel when the baby is crying? Will your baby really love you? How will dad feel when the baby arrives home” are important. Men and women need help to be able to respond to and cope with the issues and changes that arise with having a baby. They need to recognise and develop their listening skills. They need to develop healthy ways of communicating with their partners and babies.

PIPPIN provides real depth. It focuses on the emotional and psychological needs of the family as a whole. It adds an essential dimension missing from most classes for new parents.

What Training is available ?

PIPPIN currently provides a variety of training packages, and can tailor these to meet specific regional or organisational needs.

PIPPIN training packages include but are not limited to:

Pre-Requisite Short Course/Study Day
Parent Infant Facilitators Programme
Refocusing Support for Couples in the Transition to Parenthood
Advanced Programme in Parent-Infant Education and Support
Putting PIPPIN into Practice - Parenting Programmes (antenatal and postnatal)
Supervised Reflective Practice

For further information please contact our National Office on

01727 899099

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