The first 1,001 days of life, from conception to age two, are a critical time for babies and their carers. During this period, babies’ brains are shaped by their experiences, especially, the interactions that they share with their carers. The Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PAIRS) is committed to supporting parents and carers, to give their babies the best start in life.
We know that early parenthood can be difficult times for parents and carers. Books, films, and social media would have us believe that bonds between babies and carers are instant and magical. Our experience is that the bonding process and the support needed to nurture it, look different for every family.
PAIRS is a form of support for primary caregivers and their infants, from birth up to their fourth birthday. It provides a space where difficult feelings and thoughts about becoming a family can be explored safely.
We work with primary caregivers (mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster carers etc.) to explore the difficulties in your parent-infant relationships, supporting you to think about the feelings you each have and helping you to find ways of communicating together.
To give you an idea, some of the thoughts that we have unpicked with families include:
PAIRS practitioners work in a way that respects differences and looks to make therapy accessible to all. Our practitioners are trained in different areas such as play therapy, clinical psychology, infant psychotherapy, family therapy, and cognitive analytic therapy.
Together with your family, we can think about what’s happening for you all, and which intervention might best meet your needs.
If you would like support from PAIRS, please call Just One Number on 0300 300 0123. One of the team will talk through your questions/concerns with you, and arrange for an onward referral if it’s felt helpful. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
You can speak to other Norfolk parents and carers by clicking our online community forum below.
