Infant Observation Course
Much can be learnt from the process of observation, including child development, and the observer understanding the power and role of counter-transference.
AGIP offers an Infant Observation course as a stand-alone course or to be taken as part of the AGIP clinical training. The course is both rigorous, rewarding and fully engaging. Directly observing infant development from birth up to the first birthday, alongside supportive supervision, provides moving insights into the life of an infant.
The course will be of interest to child mental health workers, counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, drug and alcohol professionals, doctors, nurses, and social workers.
It is an online course and takes place over four terms. It is open to non-AGIP trainees as well as being part of the AGIP clinical training. There are two intakes each year in January and October.
COURSE AIMS
The course has three distinct aims . . .
To support the AGIP clinical psychoanalytical psychotherapy
To support the AGIP clinical psychoanalytical psychotherapy training and to form a compulsory part of that training;
To give students on the AGIP Foundation course an opportunity to take an Infant Observation course
To give students on the AGIP Foundation course an opportunity to take an Infant Observation course whether or not they plan to apply for the full clinical training.
- To explore the significance of infant observation in psychoanalysis in greater detail.
- It will also help them to decide if applying for the full clinical training is something they wished to do;
To offer an opportunity for non-AGIP members to study infant development
To offer an opportunity for non-AGIP members to study infant development as part of their CPD requirement. For example:
- Counsellors
- Infant mental health workers
- Social workers
- Psychotherapists
- Psychologists
- Drug and alcohol professionals
- Doctors and nurses
- Child psychotherapists
It can also offer an in-depth taster of psychoanalysis and whether a clinical training might be of interest.
COURSE CO-ORDINATOR
The course co-ordinator and senior group supervisor is Arianna Pulsoni.
Arianna is a qualified Child Psychotherapist (with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust) and has extensive experience with families, children and adolescents, clinical supervision, infant observations, teaching, and research. She is also a lecturer in Psychotherapy and Psycho-Social Studies at the University of Essex where she is module supervisor on undergraduate, postgraduate and professional doctoral modules, and a PhD and Professional Doctorate supervisor and examiner. She is head of safeguarding of the training in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy.
COURSE DELIVERY
- Four term course
- Term 1: one hour per week for 10 weeks of introductory seminars on Zoom
- Terms 2 – 4: One hour weekly home visit to undertake the observations
- Terms 2 – 4: One hour per week supervision using Zoom
- Terms 2 – 4: One hour weekly to fully write up the observation notes
- The group supervisor is normally constant through the course
COURSE CONTENT
- Term 1 – introductory seminars including: safeguarding, finding a family to observe, keeping notes, the supervision process, the process of observation.
- Terms 2 – 4 – weekly one-hour observations of an infant and carer(s) in their home. Writing up detailed and accurate notes for regular presentation in the one-hour Zoom supervision group.
COURSE FEES
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Application fee: £80
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Course fee: £1,895
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum 80% attendance
- Maintaining accurate and detailed write ups of each observation
- Written assignment of 5,000 words compulsory for AGIP trainees and Foundation students applying for the clinical training
- Foundation students and non-AGIP members may opt to submit a shorter, 2,500 essay (but this would preclude them from applying for the clinical training). This would qualify for the award of Certificate of Completion.
- Non-AGIP members may opt not to submit an essay and so qualify for a Certificate of Attendance for CPD purposes.
- Keeping in mind the ethics of Infant observations including safeguarding and confidentiality.
APPLICATION DETAILS
- Application fee of £80
- Two course intakes per year: October and January
- Closing date for applications is two months before the start of the course
- Send completed application form to [email protected]
APPLICATION PROCESS
For non-AGIP candidates:
- Complete the application form
- Write a personal statement about why you wish to take the course
- Identify two referees and ask them to complete the reference form
- Priority for places is given to AGIP members but there will usually be some spaces
For AGIP Foundation students and AGIP Trainees:
- We already hold your references and application form
- Contact the Infant Observation Co-ordinator for an interview when you feel ready to take the course
- Pay the application fee for the interview
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
- Weekly group supervisions
- Peer group
- Post essay feedback tutorial
How to Apply
If you wish to apply for a place on the Infant Observation course, download an application form and reference form, complete and email it to the Training Organiser.
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