Mellow Growing Together

We want every child – wherever they are in the world– to be part of a safe and nurturing family that will allow them anfuture generations the best possible start in life.

Early childhood (birth–3 years) is a critical developmental period. Families facing adversity including stress, low confidence, poor mental health, trauma, isolation, or limited support often struggle with:

• Understanding and responding to infant/toddler needs. 
• Managing challenging behaviours (toddlers). Building secure attachment relationships.
• Maintaining consistent, nurturing routines.
• Accessing timely, strengths-based support.

Without effective early support, difficulties can escalate, affecting child development, family wellbeing, and long-term outcomes.

Mellow Growing Together (MGT) aims to strengthen early parent–child relationships, improve parental wellbeing and reflective capacity, and support children’s emotional and behavioural development through structured, therapeutic, relationship-based interventions

• Parents/carers of infants and toddlers (0 -60 months).
• Families experiencing social, emotional, or practical challenges.
• Families who need support with emotional regulation, behaviour, and building routines.
• Parents who benefit from intensive, relationship-based support.

• Secure attachment is built through sensitive, attuned, consistent caregiving.
• Parental wellbeing directly affects a parent’s ability to engage and respond sensitively.
• Reflective capacity (ability to understand the child’s perspective) increases warmth, empathy, and responsive caregiving.
• Learning is most effective when practised during real interactions with the child. Peer support reduces isolation and reinforces positive behaviour change.
• Structured routines reduce stress and improve emotional regulation (for both parent and child). 

These are aligned with the Mellow Parenting Evaluation Framework domains: 

• Parental wellbeing
• Parent–child relationship
• Parental reflective functioning
• Child social–emotional development

• 8-weekly, 2-hour group sessions for parents and infants or toddlers.
• Therapeutic discussions addressing stress, relationships, confidence, and emotional wellbeing.
• Modelling of attuned interactions and infant cue reading.
• Psycho education on developmental milestone, routines, boundaries, and co-regulation. 
• Supported parent–child activities.
• Individualise parent-child video feedback.
• Peer support and group bonding.

• Parents attend weekly sessions.
• Parents feel less isolated and more supported.
• Parents practise new parenting strategies.
• Increased positive parent–child interactions.
• Parents engage in reflective conversations.
• Strengthened informal peer networks.
• Facilitators observe improvements.

Mapped to Mellow Evaluation Framework

Parental Wellbeing

• Improved parental wellbeing.
• Increased confidence and emotional literacy. 

Parent–Child Relationship

• More attuned and sensitive parenting.
• Warmer, more positive interactions.
• Increase responsive caregiving.

Reflective Capacity

• Parents better understand child cues, emotions, and behaviour.
• Improved ability to think before reacting.

Child Social–Emotional Development

• Infants (0-18): calmer behaviour, increased secure-base signals.
• Toddlers (19-60): early improvements in emotional regulation.

• Mapped to Evaluation Framework

Parental Wellbeing

• Greater coping skills and reduced conflict in the home.

Parent–Child Relationship 

• Consistent routines and predictable responses.
• Fewer escalations and improved communication.

Reflective Capacity

• Parents apply strategies independently

• Infants (0-18): stronger attachment patterns.
• Toddlers (19-60): fewer behaviour problems, improved coregulation and communication.

Long-Term Impacts (18+ Months)

Mapped to Evaluation Framework

Child Development

• Improved emotional, social, and cognitive outcomes.
• Better readiness for nursery and school.

Family Functioning

More stable, nurturing home environments.

Increased resilience and reduced intergenerational stress patterns.

System-Level Benefits

Reduced demand for crisis or statutory intervention

Stronger early intervention ecosystem supporting community wellbeing.

Relationship-based, therapeutic group work:

• Improves parental wellbeing, reflective capacity, and attuned interaction.
• Strengthens attachment, emotional regulation, and behavioural consistency
• Leads to healthier child development, improved family resilience, and long-term positive outcomes.