About Leeds early attachment observation (LEAO): Train the trainer course
The Leeds early attachment observation (LEAO), is a simple screening tool, developed in 2014 by the Leeds Infant Mental Health service to support the early identification of emerging difficulties within the caregiver-infant relationship.
Leeds Infant Mental Health service offers a full-day interactive training session around the LEAO tool. Delivered to groups of up to ten participants by two highly experienced clinicians. We will walk you through the delivery of the “Introduction to LEAO” training, help you with facilitator reflections and think about organisational considerations, to enable you to train colleagues in using the LEAO. The training incorporates a “Facilitator Guide”, “Operational Manual” and “LEAO Workbook” to help practitioners and organisations implement and embed the LEAO into their local area.
Those that have attended the training described it as:
- Great day, really good balance of slides, discussions, videos. It flowed really well and was really enjoyable
- Excellent, I’ve done quite a lot of online training recently and this was by far best paced and had the best variety
- Excellent day, very well facilitated. Great that you were so open to all our discussions and helping think about how we can apply it to our local context
The tool can be used in a variety of settings with early years professionals including perinatal staff, midwives, health visitors etc. However, we would recommend that the “train the trainer” training is suitable for practitioners who have some pre-existing observational skills and a basic level of infant mental health and the importance of attuned, responsive, and sensitive early caregiver-infant relationships.
- Course provider: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- Cost: Not specified
- Duration: 7.5 hours with post-course follow up
- Further information: Email Leeds Infant Mental Health service at lcht.leedsimh@nhs.net for further details.
You can also access the Department of Health and Social Care Guidance:
This guidance provides 3 conversation prompts for frontline practitioners to explore a parent or carer’s relationship with their baby. It also sets out a 3-step framework for using them to help identify parent-infant relationship difficulties.
