Introduction
Parental mental health is a critical factor shaping family wellbeing. It influences
parents’ quality of life
the early environment for infants,
and long term child development outcomes.
Many community organisations in this area lack resources to assess their impact. Our Community Small Grants (CSG) fund seeks to address this. The grants support community organisations to generate meaningful, local evidence.
One such organisation is Babygro, a Cornwall-based charity. They offer free, evidence-informed support for parents and their babies. The CSG enabled Babygro to conduct its first structured evaluation. For this they looked at how their 8 week course influences:
parental confidence,
wellbeing,
and early family relationships.
About Babygro
Babygro delivers newborn support sessions and sleep sessions. It also offers a 8-week programme developed by:
Dr Amanda Lucas
and the University of Essex’s Social Neuroscience of Human Attachment Lab.
Their course combines accessible early brain development education with activities like:
singing,
baby massage,
reflective discussion,
and shared problem-solving.
Sessions take place at Potager Garden in Constantine. The garden creates a calm, nature-based environment.
The programme emphasises:
parental confidence,
peer support,
and compassion led, evidence-informed approaches to caregiving.
Evaluation approach
The CSG-funded evaluation used:
pre and post course wellbeing and confidence surveys,
in-depth conversations with parents,
and demographic and engagement data
This mixed-methods approach helped Babygro to gather meaningful evidence for the first time. It boosted their understanding how different parts of the programme shape change.
Key findings
1. Increased parenting confidence
Parents reported much higher confidence in:
understanding and responding to infant cues,
supporting emotional regulation,
making informed decisions about sleep and soothing,
and trusting their own instincts and resisting conflicting advice
Parents described a shift from trying to “manage” their baby’s behaviour. After the course they understood them as a “little human with emotions and communication that matter.”
Concepts such as
co-regulation,
rupture and repair,
and good enough parenting
were particularly influential. They helped parents to remain calmer during moments of infant distress.
Several parents also reported changes in their approach to older children’s needs. This demonstrated a wider family impact.
2. Improvements in parental wellbeing
Survey data showed gains in wellbeing indicators such as:
relaxation,
connection to others,
and clearer thinking.
Baseline wellbeing scores were relatively high. But parent accounts revealed deeper emotional shifts.
Parents described feeling at the beginning the programme:
overwhelmed
tired
self critical
and confused by contradictory advice
By the end, they reported:
greater self compassion,
reduced reliance on social media,
more realistic expectations,
and a sense of peace with their parenting choices
Parents also described increased emotional regulation. This then had a “ripple effect” on the whole family.
3. Reduced isolation and increased belonging
Connection within the group emerged as one of the strongest themes.
Parents described the course as a “sanctuary”. It is a space where vulnerability felt normalised. Peer relationships created a sense of village-like community. Parents valued both giving and receiving support. The group’s non judgemental culture and evidence-informed discussion were empowering.
4. Foundations for prevention
Dr Pascal Vrticka noted that the findings strongly align with attachment research. This was particularly around trust in “good enough” parenting. It also reflects research on the importance of early relational experiences. He highlighted Babygro’s potential to act as a preventative mental health intervention. It helps families early and potentially reduces the need for later services.
Reaching those most in need
Data collected through the CSG revealed that Babygro has strong impact among attendees. But it also showed they are not always reaching families with the greatest social and economic disadvantages. This insight is guiding
Babygro,
HDRC Cornwall,
and academic partners
in co-developing next steps focused on accessibility and equity.
HDRC Research Fellows are helping Babygro to measure their work with harder to reach communities. And the HDRC team are connecting them with teams in Cornwall Council.
Conclusion
The HDRC CSG fund helped Babygro to create its first formal evidence base. It strengthened understanding of how relational, community-based support can improve:
parental confidence,
wellbeing,
and early family relationships.
The findings highlight the value of preventative parenting support. And it shows the need to explore how this work can reach families facing the greatest barriers.