On New Name for U of W's Center on Infant Mental Health & Development: The Barnard Center

 

Our proximity to the U of W has given many of us the opportunity to hear live presentations by leaders in Infant Mental Health, one of whom is Kathryn Barnard. -gw

 

The University of Washington School of Nursing has announced the re-naming of its Center on Infant Mental Health & Development to the Barnard Center, in honor of renowned nurse and researcher Kathryn Barnard.  A longtime School of Nursing faculty member, Barnard is known for her pioneering research on the importance of early caregiving relationships for infant development and well-being.  

At a June 7^th reception announcing the name change, Barnard remarked, “naming of the Center on Infant Mental Health and Development to the Barnard Center, after my family, means a great deal to me as the last person in my Barnard clan.  With my never marrying or having children myself, naming of the Center gives me a legacy.”

Barnard recognized that caring for infants and young children is challenging in the best of circumstances. Even when adults do their best, babies may cry inconsolably, sleep erratically, feed with difficulty or develop poorly. When they have concerns, parents turn to many kinds of professionals to help their babies.  These professionals may be very knowledgeable about infant development, but rarely know how to treat the baby within the context of the child-parent relationship. At the Barnard Center, professionals from many disciplines learn how to help parents have the warm, happy relationships with their children that support maximum growth, regulation and learning. In turn, babies are given the best possible start in life. Research indicates that nurturing relationships are vital to child development, and, as Barnard says, “the first three years last a lifetime.”

http://nursing.uw.edu/newsroom/press-releases/university-of-washington-school-of-nursing-renames-center-after-renowned-nur