Thinking about Risk in Infant Mental Health - part 3

This timely and thought-provoking workshop invites ACP members to explore the unique and complex challenges of working with risk in infancy. Building on the previous two events in our risk-focused trilogy - which centred on adolescent mental health - this third session shifts the focus to the earliest stages of life, when safeguarding the baby intersects profoundly with parental mental health, perinatal experiences, and systemic work across CAMHS.

With reference to NICE Guidelines (particularly QS128: Early years—promoting health and wellbeing in under 5s), the workshop offers a space to reflect on how to think holistically about risk, balancing the needs and vulnerabilities of both infants and their parents. Through clinical discussion and shared insights, we will consider the ethical and professional tensions that arise when aiming to keep a baby safe while also supporting the parent-child relationship.

Learning Objectives

• Explore holistic approaches to risk as recommended by NICE guidelines.
• Reflect on the clinical and ethical tensions in working with both infant safety and parental support.
• Ensure best practice in line with QS128: Early years: promoting health and wellbeing in under 5s.

This workshop supports the ACP’s mission to uphold the highest professional standards in clinical practice, in line with PSA requirements. It offers valuable professional development for all those working in infant mental health, helping to protect both the public and the profession through reflective, evidence-informed practice.

 About the presenters

Jo Goldsmith is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. She worked in CAMHS for many years providing direct work with highly risky adolescents including those admitted to A&E. In addition, she provided supervision for colleagues also challenged by their clients who were suicidal and presented as high risk. Jo currently oversees the delivery of psychotherapy on neonatal units in Surrey and Kent. She investigates serious incidents in the Trust. Jo is also Director of Professional Standards at ACP.

Graham Shulman is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Lead for NHSL Lanarkshire Infant Mental Health (IMH) Service. He is also joint Head of Child Psychotherapy in NHS Lanarkshire CAMHS. Graham has a particular interest in an infant centred and infant focused approach; the use and role of observation in IMH assessment of risk; systems that enable or impede the identification of IMH risk or action being taken; and unconscious dynamics and processes that can act as obstacles to identification or action in IMH.

Jane Turner is a Lead Parent infant Psychotherapist working in a Perinatal service and a Consultant for a new and developing Parent infant relationship service called Growing Little Minds in Calderdale, and Southwest Yorkshire. She is a trustee for the Parent infant foundation and sits on the Steering group for the Parent infant Psychotherapy training at BPF. Jane also works privately providing supervision and occasionally teaches.

Katie Reid is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Clinical Lead for Tameside and Glossop Parent Infant Mental Health Service (formerly Early Attachment Service) which is part of the Greater Manchester Perinatal and PIMH programme. Along with a colleague, she has recently developed and delivered a 12-month infant observation course to support the perinatal and PIMH workforce in GM. Katie also works privately providing supervision and short courses.