Press release
New book build bridges between babies and parents-to-be
Published on 17 September 2024
Expectant parents are being encouraged to bond with their babies before birth thanks to a new book supported by the University of Dundee.
Hello In There Wee One is a partnership project between the University, Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside Infant Mental Health Team, Dundee Contemporary Arts, and was created to support parents to communicate and bond with their baby before they are born. Through illustrations, questions, stories, songs and prompts, the book encourages parents-to be to imagine and think about their growing baby, helping them to prepare for their new arrival and leading to stronger relationships after birth.
The book was designed with input from local families, who worked with Dundee artist Louise Kirby to create a book that is bespoke to the city. The final book features colourful illustrations of local landmarks, including RRS Discovery, Broughty Castle, and Dundee Law, and as well as providing a guide for bonding through pregnancy, the completed book also serves as a personalised keepsake.
Designed to help meet the needs and expectations laid out in the Scottish Government’s Voice of the Infant Guidelines and Infant Pledge, which advocates for the rights of infants, Hello In There Wee One will be given to all expecting families in Dundee. It will be distributed through current ante-natal support across the city, including midwives, social workers and family nurses, ensuring all parents have the chance to access it. This is especially important for parents-to-be with added vulnerabilities and for whom bonding with their bump has increased challenges.
It has also been made available to access online at nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk.
Dr Vicky Armstrong, Art Therapist at University’s School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, and Dundee Contemporary Arts, said, “We know that helping expectant parents to feel connected to their baby before they make an appearance can support their early bonding.
“This project was a wonderful chance to bring together the expertise of lots of different health professionals and to learn from the lived experiences of families across Dundee. Using art was such a powerful way to bring people together to share ideas and everyone involved can be very proud of the final book.”
Lesley Sharkey, Director of Midwifery at NHS Tayside, said, “Research shows and clinical practice tells us that babies' emotional health and wellbeing begins before they are born.
“Hello In There Wee One helps parents in Dundee find ways to bond with their babies before they arrive. This can help build strong bonds between babies and the important people in their lives right from the start and supports infant development and mental health.”
Beth Bate, Director of DCA said, “This project is an incredible demonstration of the ways art and culture can support health, wellbeing and social care outcomes, through working in partnership with some of our most important services and institutions. I’m so proud that this beautiful book will be made available to all expecting families in our city.”
Support for this project was provided by CORRA and UNCRC Innovation Fund.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the book
This project was funded by the United Nations Children’s Rights Commission through CORRA. It brought together a collaboration of partners from NHS Tayside, Dundee City Council, Dundee Contemporary Arts and University of Dundee.
Families across Dundee worked with local artist Louise Kirby and art therapist Vicky Armstrong to create images and share their views on what would support them to talk to their bumps. These families came from Dundee International Women’s Centre, Homestart Dundee, and Coldside family group. Louise developed their ideas into the final illustrations for the book. Advice on the visuals and story was given by children’s author and illustrator Natalie Russel, and graphic designer Gavin Reid brought it all together.
The content of the book was also informed by the experience and advice of professionals across Midwifery, Health Visiting, Family Nurse Practitioners, Infant Mental Health, Speech and Language Therapists, and Social Work teams.
Direct link to Hello In There Wee One: https://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/OurServicesA-Z/MaternityServices/PROD_377680/index.htm
Dundee City Council
Dundee City Council’s Education and Social Work Services provide universal, enhanced and targeted supports to all children and their families/caregivers across the city. Their services are likely to encounter all children, and they offer a range of services from nursery, primary and secondary education. In addition, they have services to children in need, at risk and care out with their family.
NHS Tayside Infant Mental Health Team
The Infant Mental Health (IMH) team is a small team working in partnership with the other important people and professionals in infants’ (0 to 3 years) lives to promote a shared understanding of infant mental health, wellbeing and development.
They work to create a common language for talking about infant mental health needs and how these are best met. Much of their work is consultative with others involved in supporting infants and parents. They also offer a small amount of direct work where there are significant concerns regarding infant mental health and development. Some of this direct work is with individual families, and some is with groups of pairs of infants and parents.
https://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/OurServicesA-Z/MaternityServices/PROD_351257/index.htm
Dundee Contemporary Arts
Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) is an internationally renowned centre for contemporary art and registered charity that enables audiences, artists and participants to see, experience and create. With two beautiful large-scale gallery spaces, two thriving cinema screens, a busy print studio, an award-winning learning programme, and a packed programme of events, workshops, classes and activities aimed at all ages and abilities, DCA is a vibrant cultural hub open to all, located in the heart of the city.
DCA is supported by Dundee City Council and Creative Scotland.
Art at the Start University of Dundee
The project Art at the Start runs within the University of Dundee’s Psychology Department, led by a developmental psychologist and an art therapist. They are looking at ways in which making art together can help to foster strong attachment relationship between infants and their caregivers. Art making can maximise positive attachment behaviours, helping caregivers to ‘tune in’ to infant communication. They have used quantitative and qualitative methods as well as observational tools. This project has also delivered a successful service to families of babies and young children in Tayside, and more recently across wider locations in Scotland.
https://sites.dundee.ac.uk/artatthestart/
Voice of the Infant
The Scottish Government’s Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge is intended to provide guidance on how to take account of infants' views and rights in all encounters they may have with professionals in statutory or third sector services, or in public spaces such as shops, libraries or galleries.
The term 'Voice of the Infant' is used to convey our understanding that babies have their own minds and have things to communicate from birth. The Guidelines offer suggestions about how those who work with babies and very young children can notice, facilitate and share the infant's feelings, ideas and preferences which they have let us know about through their gaze, body language and vocalisations. The Infant Pledge sets out what infants should expect from those around them. It encourages mindful commitment to facilitate infants to express their feelings, and to consider their views, uphold their rights and take action accordingly.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/voice-infant-best-practice-guidelines-infant-pledge/
Louise Kirby
Louise Kirby is a Dundee based visual artist and designer enhancing experiences and placemaking that support positive wellbeing. She creates site specific artworks and designs that transforms the experience. Each project or commission is distinct to the organisation or space with a flavour of her signature style of playful pattern, conscientious colour and meaningful references that captures a sense of place.