Authors: Deborah Lockwood, Alice Campbell
Year: 2018
Event: 2018 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Meeting core mental health needs using a hands-on approach to neurodevelopment: Use of the First Touch Program with Infants to level-out mental health risk factors.
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
ISBN: 978-0-9945702-3-9
Abstract:
This paper describes the First Touch Program® and its underpinnings in neurological and mental health literature. This deceptively simple, low-cost and culturally adaptable intervention directly addresses some of the neurodevelopmental processes occurring in infancy that impact on life-course mental health outcomes. The program fosters the development of healthy parent-infant interactions by assisting parents to respond sensitively and appropriately to their babies through a range of modes. We explore the practical applications of delivering the 5-week cue based program, commonly referred to as Infant Massage, in community services, with at risk families. The evidence is clear: any genuine attempt to reduce mental illness must more closely respond to the voices of babies about their mental health development needs.
HOW TO REFERENCE THIS PAPER
Lockwood, D, Campbell, A, "Meeting core mental health needs using a hands-on approach to neurodevelopment: Use of the First Touch Program with Infants to level-out mental health risk factors" (2018), Hear the Whisper, Not the Roar Contemporary TheMHS in Mental Health Services, Adelaide Conference Proceedings 2018, TheMHS Conference, Adelaide, Australia
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