We know that the early years of a child’s life are important for their life outcomes: the first three years represent a crucial time for a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Parents are central to this development, as a warm responsive caregiver facilitates an infant’s sense of safety and helps to build good infant mental health. This short booklet aims to support parents to think about ways to promote good infant mental health.
Drawing on research which Barnardo’s NI conducted with parents of children aged 0 – 3 years old about how digital technology is used at home, this booklet also highlights issues that parents raised about parenting in a digital world and the potential impact of digital technology on interactions between parents and infants.