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Original poster

NSPCC Head Injury video - have you seen it?

26 replies

TheKaleFancier · 19/01/2013 10:50

I've been hearing mixed reports about an NSPCC video, perhaps called 'I Promise', that is being shown to women and their partners prior to leaving hospital with their new baby. Does anyone have experience of this video, did you feel it was helpful or something to avoid?

OP posts:
GotMyGoat · 19/01/2013 21:08

Blimey, showing videos to postnatal mothers? That sounds a bit upsetting to me. I haven't seen it but am thinking of the NSPCCs normal adverts on tv and they are always very distressing, are these a bit friendlier?

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 21:17

I've seen it. It's ok. It talks about how to deal with the stress you can face with a small baby - put the baby down, walk away. It's 'real' people talking. I think they have some experts reinforcing the message not to shake a baby.

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 21:18

I find anything to do with the NSPCC suspect.

FrameyMcFrame · 19/01/2013 21:31

Why LineRunner, are they dodgy in some way?

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 21:37

Framey, there was a very long thread and (non live) web chat with NSPCC last year. They had ample opportunity to address issues raised about fundraising tactics, complaints upheld about their advertising, sensationalism, allegedly misleading campaign material, high administration costs, high fundraising costs, and a service that essentially involved passing calls on the the Social Services Departments of Councils (which taxpayers pay for anyway) rather than supplying any actual frontline services.

NSPCC answered, it was felt, IIRC, very few of the questions posed and answered those poorly; and insulted the intelligence of the MNetters posing them.

FrameyMcFrame · 19/01/2013 21:40

Oh right, thanks LineRunner that's interesting, I'll have to try and read that

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 21:41

I remember that thread. They did a terrible job defending themselves. They run some amazing frontline services for children and families: therapeutic services directly counselling children who have been abused or have witnessed domestic violence. Also services for young people who have exhibited sexually harmful behaviour, parents with mental health problems and dads who have been aggressively to their children. I don't know why they didn't say all that.

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 21:46

I think they must have got the wrong people to respond to the questions? Which is a worrying trait for a major charity that accepts significant donations from the public.

The answer to 'How much of my donation will support frontline services?' should be fairly easy to answer for any charity. We all know that charities need to spend money on admin and fundraising, but there was too much bollocks from the NSPCC about 'raising awareness', I personally felt.

GotMyGoat · 19/01/2013 22:01

Wips, have you seen it as a new mother? I'm just wondering if it's actually helpful to very new parents, or if it would be more appropriate for health visitors to show a week or two after birth?

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 22:18

If someone had suggested I watch an NSPCC video before I left hospital I'd have declined, for all sorts of reasons. Not least because I wanted to get away from all the intrusive marketing and hectoring and just get home to look after my baby.

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 22:40

I think it's shown at discharge so fathers - most likely to hurt a child - see it too. I think you can refuse to watch.

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 22:47

How? Do they wheel a TV screen round to your bed? We had enough trouble getting a health care professional to come round and sign us out.

No shortage of bouncy Bounty women, condom intruders and photograpers, though.

Sounds a bit impractical to me.

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 22:50

Portable DVD player.

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 23:05

So, at the point of discharge, a trained professional turns up, bang on time, with a portable DVD player and asks if the new parents would like to watch a NSPCC video?

I can't imagine a massive take up. People are dressed, the baby's in the carrier / carseat, and they just want to go home.

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 23:11

No, I think it's while you are waiting for discharge. The midwives have been trained to show it. More info here.

link

LineRunner · 19/01/2013 23:14

So in fact the NHS pays the wages of the people that show the video?

stargirl1701 · 19/01/2013 23:16

We had to watch and sign a contract afterwards. It was fairly short but hard to watch when holding your newborn baby.

WipsGlitter · 19/01/2013 23:17

Honestly, I'm not sure. But I guess they believe its worth doing.

Original poster
TheKaleFancier · 20/01/2013 10:44

Thanks for thoughts and feedback. I have heard of some women being very upset, feeling that they don't really have a choice about watching it, or are not told what it is about and not supported afterwards as the guidelines suggest. Women are very vulnerable when they have just had a baby. Very vulnerable indeed. However I don't yet have enough info to be able to feed back to the NSPCC or the NHS trusts.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheKaleFancier · 20/01/2013 10:48

Stargirl1701 In what way was it hard to watch, and did you feel you had a choice? Will it influence the way you care for your baby? Not that you have much time to reply, having a new baby!

OP posts:
ElectricSheep · 20/01/2013 10:54

LInerunner, I don't understand your objection to the NHS putting resources into this scheme.

Many parents won't realise that shaking a baby can cause brain damage. It's a good idea imho that they are told at a time when they are likely to both be there and before they get home and start to feel the stresses of newborn care.

NHS should focus on prevention far more imho.

rcs19 · 20/01/2013 10:56

I saw it last month. I didn't feel I had a choice about watching it. The day I was due to be discharged, the midwife brought me a portable DVD player and 2 DVDs. I was told they were important information about going home. The first one was about midwife visits at home, registering your baby etc (info they did face to face when I had dd1 so there was more opportunity to ask questions). The second was the nspcc video. I can see how it could be distressing, there's a woman on it telling her story of her partner shaking their baby. He suffered a severe brain injury and died a few years later. Not sure of my opinion on it but that was my experience.

Startail · 20/01/2013 11:00

Sounds like another good reason to have your baby at homeWink

Seriously I'm another who avoids giving money to the NSPPC.

Firstly and for mostly because of the intrusive, expensive and inescapable amount of junk mail they send.

Once you have a child they are determined to guilt trip you into donating.

(Secondly, I don't believe a small smack is the end of the world.)

CheungFun · 20/01/2013 11:01

I don think it sounds like a very helpful idea tbh. I think things that are much more help are things like Surestart Centres which enables parents to get out and meet other parents and share experiences and make friends. This helps relieve the stress of looking after a child and the feeling of isolation when you're home all day which I think goes a long way to reducing the risk of a person losing their temper for that split second.

Startail · 20/01/2013 11:02

If I support a children's charity it is Banardo's for their work with forgot on teens.
And no they are not perfect either doing hard sell fundraising in primary schools.