About Me

For over 25 years I have worked as a Psychologist with parents, infants and families in both educational and NHS settings and in independent practice. I have held senior Professional Lead posts in NHS Psychology Services, including Head of Child & Family Services; Head of Specialist Psychotherapy Service; and Clinical Lead Perinatal Mental Health Service.

My clinical expertise is in the assessment and treatment in the following areas: maternal & infant mental health/wellbeing; pre and post natal depression; infant - parent psychotherapy; parents & under-fives; child & family psychology; children with special needs/developmental delay; behavioural difficulties; attachment difficulties. As well as working with parents, I am an experienced trainer of midwives, health visitors, family nurses, other health professionals and early years workers in infant and child development, child and family psychology, perinatal wellbeing and strengths-based working with families.

I work with parents in a partnership model, using relationship focussed and strength based approaches for which there is a growing body of evidence showing positive preventative outcomes. My work is rooted in current research on infant brain development, infant communication, attachment theory, and developmental child psychology.

In the last ten years alone we know so much more about an infant communication and development, things our parents simply did not, and could not, know. An infant’s early years, starting in the womb, has a profound and lifelong impact on the rest of their life. And the exciting bit is that we can use this knowledge to inform our current caregiving that supports optimal development for today’s babies who are the future parents of tomorrow. Evidence shows that a secure foundation in the first three years supports lifelong ability to meet and deal with the challenges of life.

So I offer a comprehensive range of strength based, relationship focussed programmes, from pregnancy, through the first crucial weeks of establishing a relationship with each individual child, and over the period of significant brain development which is up to age three years old. These are universal approaches suitable for all pregnant women and new parents.

I provide advice, coaching, clinical services and workshops to inform, support and train parents and professionals.

Contact me for appointments:
e: aliknights@baby-science.com or t: 07976 165 622