This course provides students with the opportunity to develop as supportive practitioners in Infant Mental Health. Foundational theories and practices in infant mental health will be introduced and students will develop an understanding of key concepts such as factors influencing access to mental health support, collaborative working, confidentiality and safeguarding. 

20 hours of asynchronous online teaching.

1. 30% personal reflection on the impact of unconscious bias in clinical practice (1000-1200 words) (ILO 5)

2. 70% analysis and response to case study vignette recorded presentation (18-20mins) (ILOs 1-4 & 6)

This course introduces students to the foundational theories and practices applied to the clinical support of infant mental health. Students will develop an understanding of key concepts such as factors influencing access to mental health support, collaborative working, confidentiality and safeguarding.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critique the value of collaborative multi-disciplinary working in generating a shared understanding of the infant's wellbeing in the family 

2. Synthesize the literature relating to barriers and enablers in accessing specialised health services in order to a) promote an environment that will encourage engagement; b) identify and address factors that are threatening engagement.

3. Critique the value and methods of building a case history of the family in identifying and mitigating risk to infant mental health and development 

4. Defend the importance of confidentiality in clinical practice and identify circumstances in which information sharing with other practitioners is justified 

5. Identify and reflect on personal and professional beliefs and their contribution to unconscious bias whilst considering how this might influence clinical practice 

6. Drawing on the scientific literature, appraise the indicators of emotional/physical or sexual abuse and neglect of the infant including failure to meet developmental and health care needs and synthesize caregiver behaviours indicative of child welfare concerns  

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.