1. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
UKCP Minding the Gap in Children’s Mental Health
Paul Cutler and Michele Crooks
28th April 2018

2. Babywatching to reduce Anxiety and Aggression
B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching is a highly effective,
schools based programme which enables children to develop empathy through participation in a facilitated group observing a parent with their small baby
develop their relationship together
Babywatching to reduce Anxiety and Aggression
and promote Sensitivity and Empathy

3. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
A micro-history of the development of Babywatching – where does it come from?
Dr Henri Parens aggression theory
Dr Karl Heinz Brisch use of this theory to promote a more intentional understanding of attachment and attunement by developing Babywatching.
Key elements - what happens in a Babywatching group?
How effective is Babywatching? Research summaries
How is the UK developing Babywatching?

4. A micro-history of Babywatching - A path to empathy
B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
A micro-history of Babywatching - A path to empathy
Frau Lotte Kohler
Dr Henri Parens
Dr Karl-Heinz Brisch

5. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching DEVELOPMENT OF AGGRESSION
Types of aggression (from Henri Parens‘ research)
Positive healthy aggression - exploration
Negative hostile aggression - directed against others or the self
Cause of hostility
Rejection and disregard of basic needs of the child by caregivers
Missing empathy for the thoughts, feelings and actions of Children

6. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMPATHY
High parental sensitivity will enhance the development of a secure attachment in the baby.
High teacher sensitivity will enhance secure attachment in children in school!
Attachments begin developing at birth and early interactions shape the wiring in the brain and establish patterns for how the child will develop relationships.

7. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
Healthy attachment is formed from consistent and positive early interactions — such as holding, gazing, smiling, kissing, singing and laughing. These experiences are stored in the Limbic system, positive and negative memories are stored here, even if the infant cannot remember or talk about the experience – they may still react.
Brain Stem (survival functions
e.g. breathing/heartbeat
Cerebellum
reflexive movements
e.g. eyes
Limbic system
Processing emotions
Cerebral Cortex
Conscious, voluntary actions

8. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
Cerebral cortex
Patterns of relationship are woven into our body and brain during babyhood.
However, attachment patterns are not fixed from babyhood, the brain is sufficiently plastic to change through positive and negative experiences.
Orbitofrontal cortex
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Brain Stem
Limbic System

9. Babywatching brings parents and
their babies (ideally aged 6 weeks to
9 months) into ordinary classrooms
for minutes each week, for at
least two terms, to spend time with
the class.
Children are encouraged and supported by a Group Leader who is often their teacher to share their observations of how the parent and baby interact and build their relationship together.

10. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching The parent and the baby interact as normal
The baby can be aged between six weeks and until he or she begins to crawl actively, or to walk (around 1 year – if baby tries out first words, that’s a bonus!)
The children are invited to make observations of the baby and the parent interacting
The group leader uses different levels of invitation of questions according to the children’s capacity to understand – more of this later.

11. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
A secure attachment is also helped by the attachment figure naming
a baby‘s actions
the inner feeling of the baby
… and by describing the context of everything that happens, which also impacts the mentalizing and language development.
Worth repeating!
A baby develops his or her own capacity for empathy through the empathy he or she experiences from his or her primary attachment figure

12. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching LEVELS OF BABYWATCHING QUESTIONS
the Group Leader asks (see leaflet)
I Behaviour
What is the baby/parent doing?
II Motivation
Why is the baby/parent behaving in this way?
III Emotion
How is the baby/parent feeling in this situation?
IV Identification
What would I do in this situation, if I were the baby/parent?
V Empathy
How would I feel in this situation, if I were the baby/parent?
Have you ever felt you .... (wanted someone to give you attention?)
Have you ever wanted ... (someone to notice you weren‘t happy?)

13. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching Increased sensitivity to other people‘s
thoughts
actions
motivations
feelings
Improved self-reflective capacity (Mentalizing)
I think that you think that I think…
I feel that you feel that I feel…

14. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching HOW EFFECTIVE IS BABYWATCHING
in reducing aggression
and increasing empathy?

15. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
Recent research (2016) conducted by Queen Mary University of London demonstrated reduced emotional problems and increased social competences in children
Significant anecdotal evidence from children/teachers/parents/volunteers
Use of SDQ’s evidences change
Looking for funding for more research

16. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching What next and research?
How is the UK developing Babywatching?
Interest in the development of emotional language
Impact on the volunteer parent and facilitator’s attunement – effect on a whole school culture
School readiness Pilot
Pilot for vulnerable parents (IOM)
Development of resources for teachers to use post session

17. B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
QUESTIONS! QUESTIONS! QUESTIONS!

18. Thank you for listening!
B.A.S.E. ® Babywatching
Thank you for listening!