Nursery World – How strong adult bonds underpinned an infant mental health policy

My emotions are all over the place! And probably will be for some time until the part of my brain in charge of controlling emotions grows some more,’ explains Hopscotch Children’s Nurseries’ infant mental health policy, written from the perspective of babies and toddlers. ‘This is a normal and healthy sign of my development. When my emotions become overwhelming I might do things like lash out, or collapse and cry on the floor. Some grown-ups call this “challenging behaviour” (because it’s challenging for them!) but really it’s a way of communicating my feelings. Please help me with my emotions and know that each time you help, you are growing my ability to do this for myself.’

Infant mental health is about how babies and toddlers experience emotions, build relationships and begin to understand the world. Hopscotch’s new policy, written in collaboration with BrightPIP (Brighton Infant Psychological Therapy), recognises that central to good infant mental health is the formation of strong, loving bonds with the adults who care for them.

Practical guidance is combined with neuroscience – including the importance of The First 1001 Days, John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory and Dr Jools Page’s principles of Professional Love (see Further information) – to empower carers to ‘tune in’ to children and put their needs first to support babies’ social and emotional development.

LIFELONG IMPACT

‘Babies absolutely rely on caregivers to survive, but also for emotional safety,’ says the policy’s author, Dr. Laura Williams, clinical psychologist and clinical director at BrightPIP. ‘The unique thing about infant mental health is that those relationships are shaping babies’ brains. Care-givers are shaping babies’ mental health in the way that they are feeling at that moment in time, but also shaping it over the course of life because, as we know from attachment theory, those repeated interactions are setting the template for how babies will be in the future. When settings get this right, the impact is lifelong,’

She adds there is a misconception that babies and young children don’t have mental health needs.

Philip Ford, managing director at Hopscotch, which has seven settings in East and West Sussex, says, ‘This isn’t just about theory – it’s about daily practice. We wanted to give our teams something that was emotionally resonant but also grounded in research.’ He hopes the policy will spark wider interest in how nurseries can prioritise infant mental health – not as an add-on but central to their ethos.

BABY’S PERSPECTIVE

Williams believes it was important to write the policy from a baby’s perspective to understand their experience. ‘They can’t talk, so we have to be really skilled and find other ways of understanding what’s going on for them,’ she says.

Ford adds it is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach but about staff getting to know the children in their care, picking up on their individual needs and responding to them. The policy aims to guide educators to:

• Understand and respond to babies’ emotional expressions and needs.
• Use co-regulation techniques to soothe and support big feelings.
• Build secure, loving and consistent relationships.
• Recognise early signs of distress, trauma or unmet needs.
• Work closely with families to support healthy attachment.

‘One of the most powerful things you can do is to just stop and watch and see what they’re doing,’ advises Williams. ‘It helps you connect to them. That connection is shaping these babies’ brains – it’s helping them feel safe and secure and that then promotes learning, physical health and mental health.’

She says a key purpose of the policy is to break down theory and show practitioners they are already demonstrating good practice, while explaining the science behind their actions: ‘By reading the policy, it’s emboldening staff to do more of that, which can only be a good thing for babies and toddlers.’

‘I heard a practitioner say they feel less pressure to be going from activity to activity. In the policy, we talk about downtime, which is just as important as the activity itself. This is important processing time for babies and toddlers when they can “wire in” what they have done and regulate as well,’ she adds.

CASE STUDY: Hopscotch’s Seaford nursery

‘The infant mental health policy puts children’s emotional wellbeing at the heart of everything we do,’ says nursery manager Gemma Sutton. ‘It’s a clear, practical guide that helps to make the science of attachment and co-regulation accessible for staff and parents. For us, it’s about ensuring every baby feels secure, loved and supported from day one.

‘The policy encourages us to slow down, notice babies’ cues and respond thoughtfully. It reinforces the importance of consistent nurturing relationships and reflection. Staff also communicate more about what children might be feeling. It has reinforced our practice – like prioritising attachment – while also encouraging us to be more reflective and intentional.

‘The children feel more secure and supported, which shows in how they engage and build relationships. Parents have been supportive and we are having deeper conversations around children’s emotional wellbeing, rather than just focusing on routines. This helps parents to feel more involved and reassured.

‘Staff wellbeing is also included in the policy. We have an open-door policy and I’ve definitely noticed that staff are opening up and talking about their feelings more, which is positive for their own mental health and directly impacts the children that they care for.

‘The policy shows how critical our role is in supporting emotional development. Parents see the observations, reflections and care that goes into responding to children’s needs, which helps them understand and value the work we do. Babies need love, consistency and care to thrive, and the policy helps ensure children’s emotional security comes first.’

FURTHER INFORMATION