The First Relationship Series

Early relationships are not just important; they are biologically and psychologically formative. From the very beginning of life, a baby’s brain develops through experience, but these experiences do more than shape neural connections, they also shape how a child comes to understand themselves, others, and the world. One of the most important ways this happens is through the development of internal working models. The concept of internal working models was introduced by John

This article is the first in The First Relationships Series , exploring Infant Mental Health and the early relationships that shape lifelong wellbeing. When we hear the term mental health , we often associate it with teenagers or adults. Yet the foundations of mental health are formed much earlier; in a baby’s earliest relationships. In recent years, growing research in neuroscience, psychology, and child development has highlighted the importance of Infant Mental Health