An evaluation of CalmFamily's training course, ‘Balancing needs in the perinatal period’: Supporting infant and parental wellbeing

The CalmFamily training, ‘Balancing needs in the perinatal period’, is a two-day online course designed for health visiting and community nursery nursing teams within NHS provider, Sirona Health and Care, across southwest UK. It aims to deepen the understanding by healthcare professionals of the interconnected needs of parents and infants, drawing on developmental psychology, attachment theory and perinatal mental health, while promoting a reflective and compassionate practice. This evaluation explored healthcare participants' experiences and gathered recommendations to improve future delivery. The qualitative feedback from 112 professionals was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. There were three key themes: (1) enhanced knowledge and skills through a flexible, tailored approach; (2) a reflective ethos supporting both family wellbeing and practitioner resilience; and (3) suggestions for future improvements. Participants valued the training's practical relevance and emotionally attuned delivery, recommending blended formats and follow-up support in future. Findings endorse continued delivery and suggest integrating its ethos into broader professional development initiatives.