Getting Ready for Baby – Early Intervention Transformation Programme

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has launched a new programme for first time parents.  Getting Ready for Baby is a new way of delivering care and supporting parents through pregnancy, preparing for labour and the early days of baby’s life.

The programme, for the first time in Northern Ireland, links antenatal appointments with parenting group support as Patricia McStay, Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology for the Southern Trust explains: “Having a baby is a very exciting time. Along with the physical changes the mother will experience, there is also a lot of new information for parents to absorb in preparation for their new arrival.

“Attending your antenatal care is very important for the physical health and wellbeing of both mum and baby. However, we also now know that antenatal education classes are just as important in supporting parents to cope with pregnancy, birth and right through to the early days with their new arrival.

“We are delighted to introduce ‘Getting Ready for Baby’ to the Southern Trust. By combining both antenatal check-ups with group education we hope to make it much more convenient for parents. The programme includes all the same information as our traditional ‘Parentcraft’ approach but also emphasises the importance of emotional health and wellbeing, helping parents to get to develop relationships with their baby and equipping them to give their child the best start in life.”

Parents get all their appointment dates at their first visit so they can make arrangements well in advance and will see the same midwife for both their education and care, allowing them to build up a relationship.

The programme is currently targeted at first time mothers with no health or pregnancy complications. Your midwife will advise at your booking appointment if you are eligible to take part in the programme and explain what is involved before you choose this option.

Getting Ready For Baby has been introduced through the Early Intervention Transformation Programme (EITP) a Northern Ireland Executive/Atlantic Philanthropies Delivering Social Change Signature Programme, funded jointly by the Delivering Social Change fund, DoH, DE, DoJ, DfC, DfE and The Atlantic Philanthropies. EITP aims to improve outcomes for children and young people across Northern Ireland through embedding early intervention approaches.

Department of Health Minister welcomes EITP EDGES Service showcase at Stormont

The Department of Health Minister, Michelle O’Neill addressed Health and Social Care providers at a recent Long Gallery showcase of the EITP EDGES Service. The EDGES Service is one of the projects funded through the Early Intervention Transformation Programme.

The Programme is funded jointly by five government Departments (Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department for Communities and Department for Employment and Learning), Delivering Social Change and Atlantic Philanthropies.  Department of Health leads the implementation of this cross-government initiative.The aim of the service is to provide an evidence informed, specialist ‘earlier intervention’ service for young people primarily between the ages of 12 to 17 years, who are on the ‘edge of care’, custody and or education.

One parent who has three children who have benefitted from accessing the EDGES Service has said “EDGES is a totally fantastic group to be involved with and if I ever slip back I know for a fact they would be the first people that I would contact.”

To read more about the EDGES Service and the showcase event in the Long Gallery at Stormont click here

For further information about the service contact Helen Dunn, Health and Social Care Board at Helen.Dunn@hscni.net

Delivering Social Change Stakeholder Update – March 2016

Keep up to date with all the latest developments happening within the Delivering Social Change Stakeholder Update.  The latest update includes information on:-

  • Appointment of a new Comissioner for Older People
  • Our Population: What Matters Most
  • EITP – Getting Ready to Learn Project
  • EITP – Building Better Futures Project
  • EITP – Supporting a Social Enterprise for Care Leavers and Homeless Young People
  • Development of the next Children and Young People’s Strategy
  • Together: Building a United Community Strategy
  • Consultation on draft annual indicators for the monitoring and evaluation
    of the ‘Active Ageing Strategy 2016 – 2021’
  • The UN Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
  • The Executive publishes Child Poverty Strategy
  • Childcare Strategy

If you would like to contact the Delivering Social Change Communications Team

Write to:

Delivering Social Change Communications Team

Finance, Strategic Planning and Social Change Directorate

Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

Room E4.15, Block E

Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate

Belfast, BT4 3SR

dsccomms@ofmdfmni.gov.uk

028 9052 2640

Read more….

Delivering Social Change Stakeholder Update – February 2016

Keep up to date with all the latest developments happening within the Delivering Social Change Stakeholder Update.  The latest update includes information on:-

  • Together: Building A United Community
  • Programme for Government: Focusing on Wellbeing – Focusing on Outcomes
  • Social Investment Fund
  • Dementia Signature Programme – Update
  • Development of the next Children and Young People’s Strategy
  • Minority Ethnic Development Fund
  • Community Family Support Programme – Full Report Card
  • Shared Education Signature Programme – Update
  • Labour Force Survey Religion Report
  • ‘An Investigation of Gender Equality Issues at Executive Level in Northern Ireland Public Sector’ – Research undertaken by Ulster University

If you would like to contact the Delivering Social Change Communications Team

Write to:

Delivering Social Change Communications Team

Finance, Strategic Planning and Social Change Directorate

Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

Room E4.15, Block E

Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate

Belfast, BT4 3SR

dsccomms@ofmdfmni.gov.uk

028 9052 2640

Read more….

The Incredible Years Parenting Programme 7th April – 30th June 2016 (Open to Families within Belfast Area)

Barnardo’s will be delivering the Incredible Years Parenting Programme – Promoting Positive Behaviours for Primary Aged Children.  This programme is only open to families within the Belfast area.

The programme is designed to strengthen parenting skills, prevent and treat behaviour problems in children.  Topics Covered –                                

  • Strengthening Children’s Social Skills, Emotional Regulation, and School Readiness Skills
  • Using Praise and Incentives to Encourage Cooperative Behaviours
  • Household Rules, Routines, and Effective Limit Setting
  • Positive Discipline, Handling Misbehaviour

For more information please contact Judith on 029 9041 9069.

To register your interest return the application/referral form (link to form available below) to judith.searle@barnardos.org.uk or

East Belfast Family Connection

Tullycarnet Primary School

Kings Road, Belfast BT5 7EH

Closing date: Friday 11th March 2016

Click here for Application/Referral Form 

Read More …