Previous Conference Information

See current event information.

Imagine...Getting Infant Mental Health Right - IAIM National Conference, July 14-17 2011

Download the conference abstracts



Feedback from our Delegates

"This was a brilliant presentation..."

"Fantastic! Spot on. Perfectly pitched to the audience...wonderful reflection on what aspects work best to enhance experience"

"Wonderful, quality speakers...this conference exceeded my expectations"

"I found this really facinating..."

"I enjoyed all presentations, met some great people and have taken some valuable information away"

"I hadn't understood the increddible depth and relevance of Infant Massage as an early mental health intervention until attending this conference."

"The variety of presenters was very useful and interesting...an excellent balance of theory and the actual clinical work. Highly relevant to my role".

"Well organised with fabulous and interesting speakers"

Conference Summary
This year's IAIM conference was held over 4 days. Over 48 delegates attended, representing all health and welfare professions as well as parents, consumers and peer educators. The conference themes provided participants with the opportunity to:

~ consolidate our understanding of infant mental health as being based in the baby’s relationships with others;

~ vision a world in which mental health during babyhood (including for those who are most vulnerable) is assured;

~ confront some of the challenges and barriers facing the achievement of this vision;

~ share new, promising and hopeful understandings about Infant Mental Health emerging from both research and practice; and

~ affirm, value and celebrate the work of people who continue to shine a light on the importance of parents, babies, and babyhood.

Our draw-card speaker - Dr. Angela Underdown (UK) - shared the findings of her latest research which suggests there can be marked differences in the quality of infant massage programs. Anglea provided an overview of her research which examined infant massage programs being delivered over eight different sites as part of the UK Sure Start program. Through a combination of video and interviews, Angela and her research team identified sixteen different mechanisms that make infant massage an effective early intervention for families. However, the IAIM program was the only one that demonstrated/ delivered most of these mechanisms.

Download Angela's research paper

Our other keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen Matthey (Aus), shared the results of several early intervention programs being conducted in the South Sydney area to support new parents.

beyondblue presented an important paper, outlining some of the current research and trends in Australia in the area of Postnatal Depression. Participants were provided with a range of resources including the new Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of postnatal depression and related difficulties, as well as the information about the beyondblue online training in perinatal mental health issues.

Anglicare SA contributed a lively and uplifting workshop on the use of the Baby Strength Cards - a wonderful way to open and generate conversations with parents. Practitioners from ACT Health shared research and case studies from several programs that are being run to help prevent and reduce impacts of perinatal mental health challenges.

Download the conference abstracts