Local NHS Trust promotes the importance of talking about infant mental health

THE Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS), in Knowsley, invited past and present service users to come together and share experiences of improving their parent infant mental health.

The service, which is delivered by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, hosted 2 parent and infant events in Knowsley as part of Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, that run over 11 June and 15 June 2018.

The events were well attended by parents, families and professionals, who came together to share their knowledge and experiences to help others. The Building Attachment and Bonds Service wants there to be more open conversations on this topic and to encourage more families to come forward and ask for help, as so many parents and infants suffer in silence.

Supporting parent infant mental health at the earliest possible opportunity (during pregnancy and post birth,) is vital for ensuring secure attachments and loving bonds can be built, whilst breaking negative life cycles.

Dr Lisa Marsland, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Strategic Service Lead of Building Attachment and Bonds Service, said:- "Relationships are everything! So making sure we get the 1st and most important relationship right is crucial and some of our families often need support to achieve this. We are proud that our Knowsley families have the opportunity to prevent the breakdown of parent and infant mental health and attachments."

Danielle, a past service user who struggled with her mental health from a young age said:- "This service was amazing and life changing for me and my son. I feel like I have grown in confidence and will always have a great bond with my boy."

Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS), is a specialist, therapeutic, easy to access support and interventions are available for pregnant women, new parents and their partners, who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing and/or adjusting to their new born baby.

For more information, visit:- NWBH.NHS.UK/Infant-Mental-Health-Awareness-Week.

Travellers at 3rd illegal site within a week

A travelling community took up camp on Kirkby Golf Course before being moved on. The group then headed to Formby Beach, camping on the land next to the car park, on Lifeboat Road, that is now managed by the National Trust. That land was part of the Nature Reserve that is home to many endangered species of flowers and animals, including the Great Crested Newts, Natterjack Toads and European Eel, to name just a few... The Trust, with the help of the Police, moved the group of travellers on and they moved up the road and started occupying part of Duke Street Park, in the centre of Formby Village. In recent months the increase in traveller camps being set up throughout Sefton, and it is causing concern for residents. This is the latest that has upset locals, who have slammed the actions of the group as:- "very worrying" due the mess that they often leave behind them. A permanent site for Gypsies and Travellers in Sefton is provided, at Red Rose Park, Broad Lane, Formby L37 0AH. A weekly rent is charged depending on the size of the pitch. Single pitch per week is currently listed as ₤70.40, a double pitch per week is ₤77.30, Single let as double per week is ₤74.00, according to Sefton council, but they:- "do not provide a transit site for Gypsies and Travellers moving through the borough." We are told that this lack of cover has lead to a number unauthorised encampments popping up in recent years. We are also informed that the site, located at Red Rose Park, is often full and Sefton is looking at alternative locations to support needs of the Gypsies and Travellers, along with the rights of the settled community. The search for a location has lead recently to a 2,000 signers being put on a petition against the plans to set up permanent traveller site, on land South of Spurriers Lane, Melling, near Maghull. Will the ever higher and higher rents, problems with Universal Credit and a shortage of affordable houses lead to more situations like this? Only time will tell… We are told that Sefton Council is working with the Police to:- "resolve the situation on Duke Street Park, as quickly as possible." To read the Sefton Council's Unauthorised Encampment Policy, click here and Allocation Encampment Policy, click here. Both documents are also on Sefton Council's website and the PDF files on here were last updated on 05 April 2018.