Best Start for Baby

Best Start for Baby is our free service for all parents, carers and guardians in Camden from pregnancy to age 2.

These regular check-ins with a Health Visitor or Community Nursery Nurse support your child’s development and your emotional wellbeing, including feelings of anxiety, low mood, or stress. These check-ins are a chance to talk, be listened to, and feel supported.

Everyone is welcome, including mums, dads, carers and grandparents.

Look out for an email inviting you to book your appointment. If you need an interpreter, just let us know when you book.

Appointments

Best Start for Baby begins with 3 home visits at the following stages:

Antenatally
New Baby Visit (10 to14 days)
6 to 8 weeks

The following appointments are offered in the community, including at our Children’s Centres and Family Hubs, and other local venues:

3 months
6 months
9 months
12 months
2 year review

Support

The support available includes:

getting ready for birth and parenthood
your mental health and wellbeing
your and your baby’s physical health
feeding, sleep, and toileting
play, talking, and development

You can also find advice and support for your child’s development on the Best Start in Life parent hub website.

Watch our video about Best Start for Baby and hear a parent’s experience with the service:

Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X5S9uRD-Ng)

Best Start for Baby Psychology sessions

Best Start for Baby Psychology sessions support parents, carers and guardians, along with their babies, from pregnancy to age 2.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, including feelings of low mood, anxiety, or stress, speak to your Health Visitor or Community Nursery Nurse.

They can help you access support quickly and easily, tailored to what you and your baby need.

Our Best Start for Baby Psychologists can offer you up to 3 sessions for mild or emerging mental health difficulties.

This can include support with:

mental health during pregnancy and after birth
adjusting to pregnancy, birth and becoming a parent
bonding with your baby and understanding what they need
changes in relationships as you become a parent
difficult or traumatic birth experiences
caring for a premature or medically complex baby, including after time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

We can offer Best Start for Baby Psychology appointments in places convenient to you, including at any of our 5 Children’s Centres and Family Hubs, or by video call.

We also run group sessions for parents and carers, led by Clinical Psychologists from The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, for parents experiencing worries or difficulties in their relationship with their baby: