Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 | News and Events

This week (8-14 June 2026) is Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (IMHAW), and this year's theme is ‘Attunement’.

Attunement is all about tuning in to your baby's feelings, needs and experiences. It's the special connection that develops when you notice your baby's cues, try to understand what they are communicating, and respond with care and love.

People often describe attunement as a dance, where your baby leads and you follow. This might mean noticing when they need comfort, recognising when they want to play, or responding when they seem overwhelmed or tired.

Being attuned to your baby helps them feel safe, secure and loved. These early experiences support healthy emotional and social development and help build strong relationships as they grow.

What does attunement look like in everyday life?

Attunement doesn't require special equipment, activities or lots of free time. Small, everyday moments can make a big difference, such as:

• Smiling back when your baby smiles at you.
• Talking to your baby during nappy changes or feeding times.
• Comforting them when they are upset.
• Noticing when they need a break from play or stimulation.
• Responding to their sounds, facial expressions and gestures.

These simple interactions help your baby learn that their feelings and needs matter, and that they can rely on trusted adults for comfort and support.

Remember: you don't need to be perfect

Here's the important thing: no parent is attuned to their baby all the time. Parenting can be exhausting, especially when you're tired, stressed or juggling lots of responsibilities. There will be times when it's hard to understand what your baby needs, or when your response isn't quite what they were looking for – and that's completely normal.

What matters most is not being perfect. It's about building a relationship over time, learning from each other and reconnecting when things don't go quite as planned. Research shows that babies don't need perfect parents – they need caring adults who keep trying to understand them and respond to their needs.

So be kind to yourself as you get to know your baby and find your own rhythm together. Every cuddle, conversation, smile and comforting response helps build your baby's sense of security, wellbeing and emotional resilience.

Where can I get support?

If you would like some extra support, there is a range of services available across Greater Manchester, including perinatal and parent-infant relationship services, health visitors, midwives, Home-Start and Family Hubs. You can also speak to your GP about support that may be helpful for you and your family.

Find out more about our Mother and Baby Services

For more information and practical tips, take a look at the resources available from the Parent-Infant Foundation, as well as our collection of resources for parents and professionals interested in learning more about attunement.

• About Us - Parent-Infant Foundation
• Infant Mental Health Awareness Week - Attunement
• Your Baby and You - Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

Weekly coffee and connections peer support group in Wigan

Our Wigan Building Attachment and Bonds Support (BABS) service offer a weekly coffee and connections peer support group.

This warm and welcoming space is for parents/carers who are pregnant or care for a baby under the age of 3. It is a safe space to reflect and share how you and your baby and/or unborn baby’s week has been and your experiences as a parent. 

When and where?

Wednesday’s at 10am alternating between Ince Family Hub (WN2 2AL) and the Family Hub at Leigh (WN7 1XL).

To find out more, call the BABS team on 0194 276 4448.