For Practitioners
Why BASICS Helps You in Practice
Workflow – What an Appointment Looks Like
1. Start the Conversation
Use one or two of the trimester-based prompts from the toolkit to open a gentle discussion.
Example: “Do you ever notice your baby responding when you talk or sing?”
2. Observe Parent Behaviours
While you talk, notice how the parent interacts with and talks about their baby.
Focus on the six observation areas: physical, verbal, sensitivity, emotional, lifestyle, and nesting.
3. Record the Observations
Using the form (paper or digital), score each area on the four-point attachment scale (Strong, Building, Neutral, Concerning). If using the digital version, also record your confidence level and note any barriers such as cultural or language differences.
4. Reflect and Summarise
Consider the overall attachment score and what it means. Celebrate strengths and note where encouragement or further support may help.
5. Signpost and Support
If you identify areas for development, use the toolkit guidance (paper) or the dashboard (digital) to provide tailored bonding techniques or referral options. If all looks strong, celebrate the parent’s positive connection and encourage them to keep building on it.
6. Repeat Over Time
BASICS can be used at different points in pregnancy, allowing you to track changes and trends and see the impact of support or interventions across trimesters.
OBSERVATION DOMAINS & SCORING TIPS
Pregnancy BASICS helps you record parent–infant bonding behaviours across six observation areas. Each one is scored on the four-point attachment scale (Strong, Building, Neutral, Concerning), giving you a clear picture of how parents are connecting with their unborn baby.
Here’s what to look for:
Physical
Noticing whether parents touch, cradle, or stroke the bump.
Tip: Strong behaviours are frequent and protective; concerning behaviours may include avoidance or discomfort.
Verbal
Listening for whether parents talk, sing, or respond to their unborn baby.
Tip: Strong behaviours are spontaneous; unclear behaviours may only happen when prompted.
Emotional
Exploring how parents feel about their developing relationship with the baby.
Tip: Strong behaviours include warmth, joy, and anticipation; unclear behaviours may sound flat or detached.
Sensitivity
Observing how parents notice or respond to their baby’s movements.
Tip: Strong behaviours show awareness and enjoyment; concerning behaviours may include indifference or irritation.
Lifestyle
Considering whether parents are making lifestyle choices with their baby’s wellbeing in mind.
Tip: Strong behaviours show consistent care (e.g. rest, diet, avoiding risks); neutral behaviours may be inconsistent or reluctant.
Nesting
Looking at preparations for welcoming the baby (practical or emotional).
Tip: Strong behaviours include planning and preparing confidently; concerning behaviours may show lack of interest or avoidance.
Using the Free Toolkit
The Pregnancy BASICS Free Toolkit gives you a complete, paper-based framework for noticing and supporting parent–fetal bonding during pregnancy. It’s simple, practical, and can be picked up straight away in any setting. Here’s what’s inside and how to use it:
- Conversation Starters – trimester-specific prompts you can use during appointments to open gentle discussions about the parent’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences of their baby.
- Observational Guidance – clear examples of bonding behaviours (both strong and concerning) across the six core areas: physical, verbal, sensitivity, emotional, lifestyle, and nesting.
- Observation Form & Scoring – a structured form for mums and partners, where you circle one score (0–3) for each of the six areas. Add them together to create a total attachment score out of 18, with an attachment indicator scale to interpret results.
- Reflection & Analysis – The toolkit also reminds practitioners to reflect on any cultural differences or neurodivergent traits that may shape how bonding behaviours are expressed, ensuring observations are fair and inclusive.
- Signposting Pathways – guidance on next steps depending on the score, from celebrating strong bonding to offering light-touch activities, or referring to Early Help, perinatal mental health, or safeguarding where needed.
The toolkit is designed to take as little as five minutes to complete and is flexible enough for short clinic visits or longer home sessions. It provides structure without being intrusive — giving practitioners a clear way to observe, reflect, and support parents.
Using the Digital Dashboard
The Pregnancy BASICS Digital Dashboard enhances the free toolkit, offering a real-time, digital solution that supports practitioners in the moment and provides services with powerful reporting. Here’s how it works in practice:
- Digital E-Form – complete the assessment online during an appointment. The form captures observations across the six areas and automatically generates a total attachment score out of 18.
- Confidence & Barriers – record how confident you felt in your observations and note any barriers such as cultural differences, neurodivergence, or language. This ensures results are fair, contextualised, and not judged in isolation.
- Real-Time Signposting – red flag indicators are automatically highlighted, with direct links to tailored bonding activities, practical tools, and referral pathways to help families strengthen attachment. All reporting and tailored signposting is available on your phone or tablet as soon as your digital e-form is submitted.
- Progress Tracking – the dashboard displays changes over time for both parents, allowing you to see whether attachment is building across trimesters and the impact of any interventions or support offered.
- Service-Level Reporting – individual assessments feed into team and commissioner dashboards, providing visual summaries by practitioner, cohort, and service — ideal for supervision, reviews, and service planning.
The Digital Dashboard makes BASICS even easier to use, turning everyday observations into meaningful insights for families and robust data for services. It enables practitioners to share tailored attachment tools & techniques with parents straightaway, helps practitioners act with confidence in the moment, while giving managers and commissioners the evidence they need to demonstrate impact.
Would You Or Your Team Benefit From Using Pregnancy BASICS?
Register your interest to Access the Pregnancy BASICS Toolkit for FREE