The need for a ‘Secure Base’: Advocating the voice of infants in the care system in the context of professional consultations

In March 2023, approximately 30,000 children in England entered the care system and were therefore deemed a Child Looked After (Gov UK, 2023). Over a third of whom (n=10,290) were aged under five years old. The Children’s Act (1989) describes permanence as ‘a sense of security, continuity, commitment, identity and belonging’ (p.19) and is significantly dependent upon the quality and consistency of caregiving experiences (The Care Inquiry, 2013). However, this is often disrupted for infants in care, impacting upon their sense of a ‘secure base’. A child’s environment and experiences in the earliest years of life are associated with a host of lifelong developmental outcomes (Easterbrooks et al., 2012; Friedman et al., 2015; Shonkoff & Garner, 2012). As the youngest and arguably most vulnerable members of society, there is a risk that the ‘voice’ and experiences of pre-verbal infants are not always held in mind (NSPCC, 2024). It is therefore best practice that professionals aim to better understand the lived experience of infants living within the care system. The aim of this article is to highlight how the Leeds Infant Mental Health Service’s (IMHS) professional consultation pathway enhances the voices of infants in care and promotes systemic change to strengthen a sense of security for infants, enabling them to lay down strong ‘roots’ to thrive later in life. The article further details the IMHS consultation process and offers practical guidance around supporting the infant’s voice and incorporating inclusive documentation and language.