GroBrain

Helping parents raise emotionally healthy infants

NHS Trusts in England using GroBrain

 

  • Cambridge & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

  • Cornwall Foundation Partnership Trust

  • Cumbria , Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust

  • Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust

  • Gloucestershire NHS Trust

  • Humber Teaching NHS F0ndation Trust

  • Kent & Medway NHS Trust 

  • Lancs & Cumbria NHS Trust

  • NHS Midlands

  • Sandwell & W Birmingham NHS Trust

  • Southern Health NHS Trust

  • South Tyneside Family Hubs

  • Wareham Hospital Dorset

Northumberland Family Hub

 

Northumberland Family Hub purchased 80 Foundation Course training places to support parent-infant relationships

“It's great to see that such a high percentage of the licences have been activated now. The quotes from the assignments are excellent. It is also great evidence to show how we are using our perinatal and parent-infant relationship funding which we receive as part of our Family Hub trail blazer status, which is primarily about us 'going further faster' as a family hub authority.

Karen Bewick, Culture & Workforce Development Co-ordinator, Family Hub Project Team. August 2023

Case Study from Action for Children

 

How Grobrain has helped a parent at risk of having her child removed at birth

Action for Children Ymbarel Service has delivered the GroBrain Baby Course across Cardiff and the Vale, to parents who are pregnant and at risk of having their children removed at birth.

 One of our mums Kacey (assumed name for anonymity) was pregnant when referred for support.  Two previous children had been removed from her care for emotional abuse.

 Kacey attended the GroBrain Baby Course as part of her safety plan, and the Ymbarel Worker adapted the pace of the programme to accommodate her Learning Disability and learning style. Kacey enjoyed the programme and evidenced her understanding while in Court to decide the future of her baby Poppy (assumed name). When asked by the Judge what was different this time, Kacey replied:

“I understand more about what Poppy needs from me. I completed GroBrain before Poppy was born and I felt prepared. I know how Poppy’s brain works.  When I talk to her and she smiles or when I tell her I love her, this connects the wires in the brain and helps her grow and to feel happy and safe. When Poppy cries, it’s OK, she is telling me something and I can usually work out why without getting too stressed. With my other babies, I would get angry thinking the crying was naughty behaviour”.

 With Support from Action for Children, using the GroBrain course, Kacey was able to parent Poppy independently.  She moved into a flat and was de-registered from Child Protection status to Child in Need status.

Sharon Smith, Team Manager, Vale Family Support Service, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 

Cardiff Flying Start

 

We'd just like to thank you for all your support and advice during the last few years and in particular during Covid and lockdown. The online Gro Brain and Gro Brain Toddler programmes were very successful,  this is mainly because of the clear structure of the online programme that you created and the accessibility of the materials and resources that went with it,

Parent Coordinating Team October 2022

Health visitor case study

 

‘Mum was on medication for postnatal depression and was under the Perinatal Mental Health Team. Her partner was also suffering from low mood and had just returned to work following several months’ sick leave. The visual aids were extremely useful to the couple, unlike other tools we had tried e.g. film clips.

Because it was quick to use and facilitated conversation, it was easier to engage dad. He was particularly interested learning about feelings, due to his own anger issues. Over subsequent visits I noticed a definite shift in dad’s behaviour and he was generally much calmer.

I think GroBrain should be taught on Health Visiting and Midwifery courses. I really wish I had received this training earlier in my career as I think it is amazing to use with families.’

Flintshire County Council

 

We delivered all three of our Grobrain courses to a range of practitioners involved in early years across Flintshire County.

“The most helpful part of the training was the understanding of the development of the infant brain and how this is influenced by the child’s experiences, relationships and environment. This has empowered the staff and practitioners to help and support the mental health of young children and families in Flintshire.

Amanda Williams, Flying Start Health Visitor, Flintshire County Council

Bridgend County Borough Council, Flying Start

 

20 Flying Start practitioners undertook our Foundation and Toddler course so they can better assist parents in their care.

“I found the love, stress and speech wiring aspects very useful as this is key to every child’s development. This will be beneficial to families I work with, as it is a great way to explain how important love, comfort and interaction are to children.”

Sophie, Flying Start Bridgend County Borough Council

Swansea Parenting Team

 

Swansea JIGSO and Family Partnership Teams have been delivering GroBrain to targeted families for several years.  In 2019 they received an award  from the Royal College of Midwives for their fantastic results reducing inequalities.  

"GroBrain is an integral part of all we do, and can be applied to any situation. It helps young people know what they need to do to be good parents. The 'brain wiring' is just so simple for them to understand and it's the bit they remember."  

Mike Davies, JIGSO Manager

Flying Start, Blaenau-Gwent

30 frontline staff working with vulnerable teenagers and their babies were trained to deliver GroBrain in one-to-one and group settings.

“What fantastic training!  The strategies taught in order to facilitate to parents were simple and so easy to use.  You receive an excellent facilitator pack too which is full of the tools needed to deliver the information to parents.  Staff are quickly able to deliver key messages from the training to parents who are attending our parenting groups/baby massage etc.”
Tania Hayward, Family Support Coordinator, Flying Start Blaenau-Gwent

Family Nurse Practitioner, Belfast

 

25 Family Nurse Practitioners attended our one-day Foundation Course to gain some extra tools for their work with young parents.

​100% agreed the resources would enhance their practice, particularly the diagram on how to explain brain development and how parents help wire up their baby's stress response.

Charities

“The parents are enjoying the Baby Course and more importantly implementing the new knowledge. The father previously never spoke to the baby but he is trying to now, even though he’s still very self-conscious. All contact reports have been very positive since parents have been doing the programme, which means the parents can continue to have contact with the baby.” Action for Children Facilitator

“I have delivered the Baby Course to a parent with special needs. Not only was she able to repeat the GroBrain explanation of brain development word-for- word, but she was also able to implement the parenting skills involved. I am very interested to know when the Toddler Course is available.” Break-Charity Facilitator, Norwich

“Just to keep you update, programme delivery is going well in Colin with the trainers and SureStart is rolling this out with their service users! Colin Neighbourhood Partnership Volunteer Development Worker, Belfast

Baby Massage groups

Many of our trainees are adding a ‘GroBrain slot’ into their regular baby massage sessions. Parents enjoy learning about the science behind what they are doing, with GroBrain visual resources and activities.

What parents say

Here is a sample of comments received from parents:

“I understand my baby’s emotions better now”.

“I play with him and tickle him but sometimes he turns away. I now understand when he’s had enough and we just have a cuddle instead.”

“More aware of her getting upset and that she can’t actually control her emotions. I now go to her sooner to soothe her distress.”

“I have learnt how important it is to communicate with my baby and listen and look out for her cues to ‘wire up’ her brain. It is great to know that we’re all in the same boat as parents one way or another.”

“I recognised that my baby isn’t as close to his father as he is to me, he always looks away when he’s around which we learnt about on the course. I realised that he was being abusive to my son, so I got professional help.”

“I learnt how important it is to interact with babies and how much goes in. How to keep her relaxed and interact with her. Understanding that when she gets upset she is trying to tell me that something is wrong. I now see that I need to keep calm to help her and really try to understand what she is trying to tell me.”

“Feel more confident about the reasons behind why we do things and how babies react.”

“I now understand that children cannot be naughty before 1 year old. I now interpret his behaviour differently. It was a friendly and informative way to learn”.

“Now knowing that there is so much going on in their heads and that they’re not just lying there is fascinating.”

“Now I understand this I really want to help my baby’s brain develop and pick up on her cues.”

“Didn’t realise how much help he needed from me in managing his stress levels.”