Community health services

Tender description

Market engagement for the development and implementation of a new parent-infant relationship team to operate across Nottingham City for 3 years starting in January 2021-December 2023 to include implementation and evaluation periods. A key element of this work will be evidencing impact at the earliest stage, in order to inform future commissioning decisions after the 3-year funded period. Market engagement only — Small Steps Big Changes are delighted to offer the opportunity for relevant organisations to engage with us for the development and delivery of a new parent-infant relationship team to support the parent-infant relationship and ensure positive long term impact on the emotional well-being of babies and infants. The newly developed team will support SSBC to meet needs including: — Too many new babies experience complex relationship difficulties with their primary carers. Without specialised help these unresolved problems can affect future outcomes and in the most severe cases, can lead to a child being taken into care. — The complex and persistent nature of some parent-infant relationship difficulties are beyond the scope of universal or typical early help support, and need specialised, multi-disciplinary intervention. Frontline practitioners may lack confidence or awareness to identify early relationship problems. — Unresolved parent-infant relationship difficulties can be passed on inter-generationally with long lasting effects and high costs to the public purse. The successful supplier will support SSBC in terms of developing a whole system approach to prioritising infant mental health is required to support a baby’s emotional well-being through secure and responsive relationships with caregivers. Parents who are tuned-in and able to respond to babies’ needs sensitively shape how babies experience their emotions and how they learn to regulate and express these emotions. In contrast, difficulties in early relationships can have negative effects on child development, with long term costs to individuals, families, communities and society.