Group Info

Undertaking an infant observation is both a demanding and rewarding experience. It offers the opportunity to study emotional and personality development within the environment of the infant’s home and family. In order to do this, the student observes an infant and carer for one hour a week from birth to one year old. Ideally, this would be approximately 40 observations in a year allowing for holidays and illness.

The student writes up the observations in detail (a process recording) trying to capture the felt sense of being in the family as well as the experience of bearing witness to baby’s everyday trials and achievements.

The Infant Observation Seminars are held online, weekly, on Thursdays 4pm-5.15pm, led by Devika Dhar.

The Process Group runs online, fortnightly, on Wednesdays at 6pm-7pm, led by Phil Falkner.

There are three terms over a year consisting of 10 to 11 weeks, with a week off in the middle for half term. The cost for each term for both Seminar and Process group is £320.

The Observation consists of finding a family with who are just about to have a baby, who have the usual ups and downs that families have. We are aiming to find a “good enough” situation in which you can observe a baby adapting to their environment and how their experiences within their family shape their developing personality.

Part of the process of doing an Infant Observation is finding a family, which can take time. You do this with discussion and support from the group and the seminar leader. Once you find a family and baby, the one year observation begins. You leave the seminar group at the end of the term your observation baby reaches one years old. This gives you a little time to reflect with the group about the process of your observation and about themes that you might want to focus on for the 3000 word essay about your observation. (We are also able to accommodate 2 year observations)