Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report

Vicky Armstrong; Josephine Ross; Anna Robb; Catriona MacInnes; Ruth Switalski; Alison Ramm; Gillian McFarland; Anna Shepherd; Melloney Flinn; Abigail Robertson; Kasia Zych; David Scott; Alice  McConnell

Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report

Vicky Armstrong (Lead / Corresponding author), Josephine Ross (Lead / Corresponding author), Anna Robb (Other contribution), Catriona MacInnes (Other contribution), Ruth Switalski (Other contribution), Alison Ramm (Other contribution), Gillian McFarland (Other contribution), Anna Shepherd (Other contribution), Melloney Flinn (Other contribution), Abigail Robertson (Other contribution), Kasia Zych (Other contribution), David Scott (Artist), Alice McConnell (Artist)

Research output: Book/Report › Other report

Abstract

The Art at the Start team explore the impact of art participation and art therapy on the psychological wellbeing of 0-3-year-old infants and their caregivers. Early
intervention is vital to reduce health inequalities, giving infants the best possible start.

We embedded art therapists within four galleries across Scotland as action researchers, developing early intervention services with the galleries, exploring the process and evaluating outcomes. We also supported the set-up of two additional services which ran in parallel. In total 58 pairs of infants and their caregivers accessed art therapy support, 220 families received targeted outreach
with art-based approaches, and over 2500 people were reached through public sessions, encouraging more art making for the youngest participants.

This report will look at the need for the project, what we did, who we worked with, what changes we can show, and we will reflect on the themes arising from this work. At all stages, the infants and families we work with remained central, and we want to thank them for their active participation.

Cite as: Armstrong, V. G. and Ross, J. (2023) Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report, University of Dundee.

Original language	English
Publisher	University of Dundee
Commissioning body	Arts & Humanities Research Council
Number of pages	23
Publication status	Published - 5 Dec 2023

Keywords

art therapy
infant mental health
welbeing
gallery
intervention
attachments
early relationships
perinatal mental health
Art
Arts in health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cite this

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title = "Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report ",

abstract = "The Art at the Start team explore the impact of art participation and art therapy on the psychological wellbeing of 0-3-year-old infants and their caregivers. Earlyintervention is vital to reduce health inequalities, giving infants the best possible start.We embedded art therapists within four galleries across Scotland as action researchers, developing early intervention services with the galleries, exploring the process and evaluating outcomes. We also supported the set-up of two additional services which ran in parallel. In total 58 pairs of infants and their caregivers accessed art therapy support, 220 families received targeted outreachwith art-based approaches, and over 2500 people were reached through public sessions, encouraging more art making for the youngest participants.This report will look at the need for the project, what we did, who we worked with, what changes we can show, and we will reflect on the themes arising from this work. At all stages, the infants and families we work with remained central, and we want to thank them for their active participation.Cite as: Armstrong, V. G. and Ross, J. (2023) Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report, University of Dundee.",

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publisher = "University of Dundee",

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Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report . / Armstrong, Vicky (Lead / Corresponding author); Ross, Josephine (Lead / Corresponding author); Robb, Anna (Other contribution) et al.
University of Dundee, 2023. 23 p.

Research output: Book/Report › Other report

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AU - Armstrong, Vicky

AU - Ross, Josephine

A2 - Robb, Anna

A2 - MacInnes, Catriona

A2 - Switalski, Ruth

A2 - Ramm, Alison

A2 - McFarland, Gillian

A2 - Shepherd, Anna

A2 - Flinn, Melloney

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A2 - Zych, Kasia

A2 - Scott, David

A2 - McConnell, Alice

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N2 - The Art at the Start team explore the impact of art participation and art therapy on the psychological wellbeing of 0-3-year-old infants and their caregivers. Earlyintervention is vital to reduce health inequalities, giving infants the best possible start.We embedded art therapists within four galleries across Scotland as action researchers, developing early intervention services with the galleries, exploring the process and evaluating outcomes. We also supported the set-up of two additional services which ran in parallel. In total 58 pairs of infants and their caregivers accessed art therapy support, 220 families received targeted outreachwith art-based approaches, and over 2500 people were reached through public sessions, encouraging more art making for the youngest participants.This report will look at the need for the project, what we did, who we worked with, what changes we can show, and we will reflect on the themes arising from this work. At all stages, the infants and families we work with remained central, and we want to thank them for their active participation.Cite as: Armstrong, V. G. and Ross, J. (2023) Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report, University of Dundee.

AB - The Art at the Start team explore the impact of art participation and art therapy on the psychological wellbeing of 0-3-year-old infants and their caregivers. Earlyintervention is vital to reduce health inequalities, giving infants the best possible start.We embedded art therapists within four galleries across Scotland as action researchers, developing early intervention services with the galleries, exploring the process and evaluating outcomes. We also supported the set-up of two additional services which ran in parallel. In total 58 pairs of infants and their caregivers accessed art therapy support, 220 families received targeted outreachwith art-based approaches, and over 2500 people were reached through public sessions, encouraging more art making for the youngest participants.This report will look at the need for the project, what we did, who we worked with, what changes we can show, and we will reflect on the themes arising from this work. At all stages, the infants and families we work with remained central, and we want to thank them for their active participation.Cite as: Armstrong, V. G. and Ross, J. (2023) Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report, University of Dundee.

KW - art therapy

KW - infant mental health

KW - welbeing

KW - gallery

KW - intervention

KW - attachments

KW - early relationships

KW - perinatal mental health

KW - Art

KW - Arts in health

UR - https://sites.dundee.ac.uk/artatthestart/mobilising-community-assets-to-address-health-inequalities-creative-community-intervention/

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BT - Art at the Start

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ER -

Art at the Start: Creative community intervention for perinatal and infant mental health, UKRI Mobilising Community Assets to Combat Health Inequalities Report

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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