A recap of the first Cynefin webinar
On 24 June, online, we gathered a panel of champions leaders and practitioners across health, policy, early years and the arts together to unpack how the arts and creativity can build connection, confidence and development in the early years - helping to prevent future inequality and improve lifelong health outcomes. It was the first in a series of four discussions exploring how embedding arts and culture as a frontline public service could be a step change for population health in Wales.
If you missed it, you can watch the whole session back below or read a summary below.
Giving every child the best start in life: a recap of the first Cynefin webinar
How can arts and culture help improve health and wellbeing from the very start of life?
That was the question at the heart of our first Cynefin webinar, which brought together leaders from health, arts, research and community organisations to explore how creativity can help babies, young children and their families thrive.
The session was the first in a series of four discussions that will explore how placing the arts and culture as a frontline public service could effect a step-change for public health in Wales.
At the first session, contributors shared exciting evidence, inspiring examples and lived experience that demonstrated how creative approaches are already strengthening relationships between parents and their children, improving mental health, reducing isolation and helping give children the best possible start in life.
Among those contributors was Dr Liz Gregory, Wales Development Lead of the Parent Infant Foundation, who detailed the importance of the first 1,000 days of life and the role of rhythm, storytelling, music and play in early brain development. Yvonne Farquharson, Managing Director and Founder, Breathe Arts Health Research and Riddhi Laijawala, Research Assistant, SHAPER Melodies for Mums research study, also presented the evidence behind the award-winning Melodies for Mums programme, showing how group singing can reduce symptoms of postnatal depression while strengthening bonding between parents and their babies.
Inspiring examples from across Wales included Inside Out Cymru's Nurturing Dads programme, which uses music and creativity to support fathers' wellbeing and build stronger family connections; Making Sense's Dwylo Bach project, creating sensory-rich, child-led play experiences inspired by artists and galleries across North Wales; and Hywel Dda University Health Board's Starting Well collaborative, demonstrating how the arts can be integrated into perinatal mental health support in the community.
Across the discussion, several themes emerged. Speakers highlighted the importance of investing in prevention during the earliest years of life, recognising arts and creativity as essential to healthy development, rather than a nice-to-have.
Attendees learned how creative programmes are creating safe and welcoming spaces in Wales where families are connecting, expressing themselves and building their confidence, and heard the growing evidence that these approaches are effective, budget-friendly and capable of becoming part of mainstream health and care services.
The webinar concluded with reflections from Cynefin’s champions, who discussed the opportunities and challenges of embedding creative health approaches more widely across Wales. The need to move beyond small-scale projects towards creative approaches that could be embedded systematically within health, education and community settings was discussed, as were important questions about how to ensure programmes reach marginalised communities and do not reinforce access inequalities.
If you couldn’t join us live, you can now watch the full recording [LINK] to hear the evidence, stories and conversations shaping the future of creative health in Wales.
More information on the remaining three Cynefin sessions will be shared soon. Keep your eyes peeled on WAHWN’s channels.