Parents’ experiences of infant abuse prevention programme ICON

A new study has found that the ICON programme, an infant abusive head trauma prevention initiative in the NHS, plays a crucial role in helping new parents cope with infant crying.

The evaluation of ICON was led by ARC West researchers, and the results are published in Child Abuse & Neglect.

The most common severe injury in babies is abusive head trauma, often caused when a baby is hit or shaken. It affects 20–24 out of every 100,000 babies in the UK. The consequences can be devastating: 1 in 5 of these babies die and up to 4 in 5 are left with permanent brain damage.

ICON was designed to prevent abusive head trauma by equipping parents with clear information and practical strategies to manage periods of intense infant crying, a trigger for abusive injuries.

Researchers interviewed 28 new parents with babies aged 2-6 months, from diverse ethnic and socioeconomics groups across England, to find out their views on the programme.

Parents reported that the ICON programme:

• Helped them understand it was normal for their baby to cry
• Provided them with strategies to comfort their baby
• Gave them permission to put their baby down when they felt overwhelmed
• Reinforced the message never to shake a baby

Most parents remembered and acted upon the ICON messages. The most powerful message was to take a break when feeling overwhelmed by crying.

To improve the ICON programme, parents suggested:

• Delivering the messages to fathers as well as mothers
• Tailoring the messages to the needs of individual families
• Extending the reach of the programme, for example by delivering the ICON messages on after-hours phone helplines and in postnatal mental health services

The findings of the evaluation indicate ICON messages are reaching parents, and the programme should continue to be rolled out across the UK.

Dr Julie Brose, the paper’s lead author, said:

“This study explores how the ICON programme acts as a simple but effective public health intervention. It helps new parents understand that crying is normal, equips them with practical coping strategies, and gives them permission to take a short break when they feel overwhelmed, reducing the risk of abusive head trauma and improving safety for babies across the country.

“Early, consistent support for parents is essential, and ICON plays an important part in helping new parents cope.”