Part of Buckinghamshire CAMHS, Reconnect was originally developed as a pilot project in 2013. The service provides early intervention for parents of children under the age of 2 who may present with disorganised attachment and are at risk of permanent removal from their parents, who themselves may have experienced significant neglect or abuse.
Part of Buckinghamshire CAMHS, Reconnect was originally developed as a pilot project in 2013. The service provides early intervention for parents of children under the age of 2 who may present with disorganised attachment and are at risk of permanent removal from their parents, who themselves may have experienced significant neglect or abuse.
Access
Children and their parents are referred to the service by a range of professionals including social workers, midwives, health visitors, community paediatricians, children’s centre staff and mental health professionals. Families who are referred are known to social care and are either on a child protection plan or in pre-proceedings.
Evidence-based treatment
Reconnect offers a manualised intensive intervention package including a combination of individual and group mentalisation-based treatment (MBT), as well as Video Interaction Guidance, trauma therapy and couples work if required. Group therapy lasts 6 months and parents will often have twice weekly appointments in the service.
Service evaluation
Treatment outcomes are assessed on a number of measures at both pre- and post-intervention. An independent evaluation by the Anna Freud Centre in 2015 found significant changes in a parent’s ability to respond sensitively to their child. Parents reported increased sense of competence in their ability to parent, they were less stressed, had fewer mental health problems and were better able to think about their child’s needs above their own. The service is now applying for further research funding to carry out a multi-site randomised controlled trial of these interventions.
What makes this service an example of positive practice?
Since its inception, ReConnect has treated over 85 parents in the service with three-quarters of parents successfully retaining care of their child. The average length of treatment for a parent in the service is 15 months. Some parents are seen for longer intervention, 2 years or more.
The ReConnect service was awarded the Analeaf Award for “Best Infant Mental Health Service” at the inaugural Infant Mental Health Awards in June 2016.
ReConnect has been highly commended by the Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards in the category “Diversity and Equality in Service Delivery”.
Further details
| Commissioning | Buckinghamshire CCG | ||||||||||
| Providers | Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust | ||||||||||
| Workforce (WTE) | 1.6 WTE (8c, 8a and band 7) | ||||||||||
| Population size | 127,000 | ||||||||||
| Caseload | The team works with 30 families at any one time. ReConnect has treated over 85 parents with three-quarters of parents successfully retaining care of their child. The average length of treatment for a parent in the service is 15 months and some are seen for over 2 years of more. | ||||||||||
| Prevention and resilience – universal and early intervention for at risk | |||||
| Access and advice – consultation lines, triage and signposting | |||||
| Biopsychosocial assessment | Intensive interventions |
