The first two years of a child’s life are crucial, and The Oxford Parent-Infant Project (OXPIP) exists to help parents and babies develop more loving and secure relationships. OXPIP does this by offering a unique and confidential counselling service for parents and their babies, as well as parents-to-be.

Giving a baby the love, care and attention it needs can be very difficult, especially if you are stressed or depressed, or if the child won’t feed, or you are coping on your own, or if your baby won’t sleep, or just seems to be continually crying.

Post-natal illness affects between 70,000 and 100,000 women and their babies in the UK every year, and recent studies have shown that fathers also experience this illness. The transition to parenthood can be difficult, and some parents are surprised by the challenges that being a new parent brings. This can cause confusion and frustration.

By intervening early with parents and babies, in the first two years (and sometimes even before birth) OXPIP are helping to prevent future crime and anti-social behaviour and provide an alternative existence where babies and parents can find a way to grow into happy and healthy families.

“We are literally transforming the future of our community and hopefully, society,” says Elizabeth Sawyer Danowski, OXPIP’s executive director.

Research shows that secure attachment by a child under two years to its mother leads to emotional well being, resilience and good mental health. Insecure attachments within the first two years can include life-long physical, mental and emotional disabilities, and disadvantages for both the mother and baby, with repercussions for the family and the wider community.

OXPIP’s small team of clinicians provide about 40 hours a week of counselling for families across Oxfordshire. They also run two Baby Massage classes a week, for up to eight mother and baby couples. New mothers are able to learn baby massage techniques and to talk about their experiences of motherhood.

This work is partly funded through statutory organisations, such as Oxfordshire County Council. The majority of OXPIP’s income, though, comes through the fundraising efforts of volunteers.

A collection will be made in aid of OXPIP at the Carol Service at Merton College Chapel on November 30 at 5.45pm, and then on December 19, OXPIP will be the beneficiaries of a carol concert in the Westgate Shopping Centre. They are looking for volunteers to help at this event.

OXPIP was one of the award winners at the Annual Centre for Social Justice 'Oscars' in 2007. The awards were given to five small charities around the country for their work in alleviating poverty and promoting social justice. Each of these charities was different, but there was a common thread – that of trying to help families stay together.

If you would like more information, or to volunteer with OXPIP, visit their website on www.oxpip.org.uk or call: 01865 778034, email: info@oxpip.org.uk