Training Services

A Good Start (AGS) is an award-winning early intervention parent and infant relationship programme which originated from parents and was developed together with them and Midlothian Sure Start.

AGS offers shared peer activities of infant massage, discussions on early brain development, weaning, play and sleep in local communities.

Parents speak of the value in meeting with other parents – building their confidence, reducing anxieties about caring for an infant and feeling more confident in accessing local services.  Information collected from participants in A Good Start tell us that – 87% of parents indicate improved infant development knowledge and 92% identify that they know more about parenting their infant.

‘The AGS Instructor Training Course’ aims to enable practitioner trainers to transfer knowledge and help develop the core skills of case holding (parenting) practitioners to deliver the award winning AGS parenting programme to new parents and their babies from approximately 6-8 weeks after birth.

The AGS Instructor training course includes the learning of the theory and practice of infant massage, theory and practice to support the developing parent and infant relationship and group facilitation skills.

The initial training is 4 days, this is followed on with practice delivery and assessment elements to progress to qualification.  Tutor support is available throughout.  For most people it takes around 1 year to qualification dependent in individual circumstances.

Post qualifying an annual review through attendance at CPD session is required to continue to deliver the programme.