Influencing Health Policy in the Antenatal and Postnatal Periods: The UK Experience

Influencing Health Policy in the Antenatal and Postnatal Periods: The UK Experience

Joanna Hawthorne

Since 1997, the Brazelton Centre UK has offered courses to a wide range of professionals working with newborn infants and their families. In 2009, the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was recommended in the Healthy Child Programme by the Department of Health. Both the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and the Newborn Behavioral Observations system are recommended in the 2014/2015 National Health Visiting Service Specification to promote parent and infant mental health and secure attachment. Health visitors and midwives implement the Healthy Child Programme (2009) which promotes strong parent–baby relationships in pregnancy and in the postnatal period.