Dr Emma and Associate Professor Katie Wood from Swinburne University were interviewed earlier in the year by barrister, Jordana Cohen and psychologist, Asley Barber for the Best Interests Children’s Law Podcast about their research, Safe Nest Group (SNG). In this episode, ‘Early Intervention for Mothers and Infants who have Experienced Family Violence: the ANROWS project’, they share about the program, designed as early intervention for women and their infants (0-3 years) made homeless by family violence.

Underpinned by trauma-informed, psychodynamic, creative arts therapy, and infant mental health principles, the therapeutic group is a dyadic-focused intervention that privileged play and expressive modes understood as the primary occupations of infants and seen as vital for their development and strengthening attachment security.

SNG was one of only several infant-led programs specifically developed for infants experiencing family violence. The project was innovative by including infant specific measures to capture outcomes for infants as well as their mother, an area often overlooked in research but essential data to include if we are to understand their experience. The study found that the program had been beneficial, noting meaningful reductions in mothers’ symptoms of depression and trauma and a better understanding by mothers of the impacts of family violence on their children.

Dr Emma was pleased to have been given this opportunity to advocate for prioritising the voice of the infant in research as well as developing infant-led therapeutic programs that support trauma healing for both mother and the infant.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2173777/episodes/18142795-early-intervention-for-mothers-and-infants-who-have-experienced-family-violence-the-anrows-project