Discover How To Apply The EiSMART Approach In Practice

Join our workshops, training sessions, conference events and more to learn how to apply the EiSMART approach in practice.

Upcoming Courses

  • EiSMART for Neonatologists and Paediatricians

    Date:  15th October 2024, 9.30am – 4.30pm

    Location: University College London Hospital (UCLH)

    Course Fee: £150

    Course lead: Dr Audrienne Sammut, Consultant Neonatologist, University College London Hospital

    Learn how to support parents and advance young children’s developmental skills using the Ei SMART framework during your consultation.

    The content of this study day is aimed specifically at neonatologists and paediatricians who are involved in the neurodevelopmental assessment of high-risk infants in follow up clinics. If you would like to enhance your ability to provide developmental support and anticipatory guidance to parents to promote optimal child development, then this training is for you.

    You will gain insight into how to support and guide parents with their infant’s developmental process as part of your multi-disciplinary follow up team or until additional and specialised services are available.

    You will learn how to provide targeted early intervention focussing on everyday activities which are understandable for parents and their infants, based on commonly seen developmental challenges in the first 2 years.

    Content includes common neurological and developmental concerns and Anticipatory Guidance and Early Intervention at the following ages: 

    • 0-3 months
    • 3-6 months
    • 6-12 months
    • 12-24 months
    • Overview of the Ei SMART framework and evidence underpinning/supporting the approach
    • How co-production is embedded within the Ei SMART approach

    Ei SMART is a framework for clinical reasoning based on evidence-based principles to give high risk babies the best start in life. It spans infant development from birth to pre-school and beyond. It uniquely supports infant development by integrating Sensory, Motor, Attention and regulation and Relational development through co-production between multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals and parents working Together.

    This study day is co-developed and presented by our team of therapists, (OT, PT, SLT), nursing and medical practitioners, and parents with lived experience of having babies and young children with developmental differences and challenges.

    Enquiries: ucla.educationevents@nhs.net

    CPD accreditation in progress

  • Early Intervention training for Therapists

    Early Intervention and Assessment for Infants and young children at high risk of neurodevelopmental problems – a practical and evidence-based approach*

    This course provides a comprehensive overview of assessment and early intervention from birth to 12 months encompassing the Ei SMART approach.
    This course provides essential training for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists working with high-risk infants in the NICU and in the community during the first year of life. The emphasis is on early intervention therapists working together with parents as equal partners to provide the most evidence based and effective interventions possible. During the course participants learn how to use assessment to guide interventions which are aimed at advancing developmental skills, promoting function and participation whilst supporting the parent-infant relationship. Course participants leave with increased confidence and many new skills which they can implement straight away in their early intervention clinics.
    The course is delivered twice a year in the CerebralPalsycymru centre in Cardiff and is structured as follows:

    Part 1 is delivered ONLINE, starting with one full day, followed by self-directed learning through pre-recorded lectures and online follow-up tutorials, which is the equivalent of 3 days education time.
    Part 2 occurs on 3 full days IN-PERSON at Cerebral Palsy Cymru. The focus is on working with babies/infants and their families with guidance and support from the course tutors, Betty Hutchon and Christine Barber.
    To find out more or book a place on one of the Cardiff courses email: courses@cerebralpalsycymru.org

    We also offer this course as a 5 day in-person training and have recently delivered the course in Ireland and Jordan. If you would like more information about running the course in your setting please email: betty@eismart.co.uk or info@eismart.co.uk

  • EiSMART – Foundation Level – September

    Date: 19th September 2024

    Format: 1 Day online.  9.00 – 4.15pm

    Cost: £135

    Each study day provides an in-depth introduction to the Ei SMART framework and is our Foundation level training before progressing to our Implementation days. The content is aimed specifically at doctors, nurses, therapists and everyone who is interested in neurodevelopment and early intervention right from the NNU to the community.

    This study day is co-developed and presented by our team of therapists, (OT, PT, SLT), Nursing and medical practitioners, and parents with lived experience of having babies and young children with developmental differences and challenges.

    Foundational Study day content includes:

    • Evidence for why you should use the Ei SMART framework in early intervention.
    • How co-production is embedded within the Ei SMART approach.
    • Expand your skills and knowledge as you learn to focus on the relative contributions of, and the important inter-relationships between Sensory, Motor, Attention & Regulation and Relationships – Together.
    • Application in the NNU and after discharge to optimise the neurodevelopment of infants at high risk of developmental challenges and how to cascade knowledge to support parents and carers.

  • Implementation of the EiSMART Framework – September

    Date: 26th and 27th September 2024

    Format: 2 Days online.  9.00 – 4.15pm

    Cost: £135 per day
    Two separate but complimentary study days suitable for doctors, nurses and therapists who have a good understanding of the Ei SMART framework and want to begin to implement it in the Neonatal Unit and/or in community settings, bridging the gap between hospital and home.

    These implementation workshops are co-produced and delivered by our team of therapists, (OT, PT, SLT), Nursing and medical practitioners, and parents with lived experience of having babies and young children with developmental differences and challenges.

    Content includes:

    • Learn about the application of the S, M, A, and R, in the NNU and working Together with parents in co-production and partnership.
    • Consider how the Ei SMART framework could be incorporated into daily/weekly ward rounds/systematic reviews and how the use of this framework would influence your conversations with parents and your team.
    • Discuss how to use the Ei SMART approach to bridge the gap between hospital and home
    • Learn how to use the Ei SMART framework to co-produce goals in partnership with parents.

  • Implementation of the EiSMART Framework after discharge and in early intervention – September

    Date: Friday 27th September 2024

    Format: 1 Day online.  9.00 – 4.15pm

    Cost: £135
    This study day will focus on implementing the Ei SMART framework after discharge and in community settings.

    These implementation workshops are co-produced and delivered by our team of therapists, (OT, PT, SLT), Nursing and medical practitioners, and parents with lived experience of having babies and young children with developmental differences and challenges.

    Content includes:

    • An introduction to implementing the Ei SMART framework after discharge to deliver holistic and effective early intervention.
    • Consider how the Ei SMART threads are integrated into neurodevelopmental therapy.
    • Learn how to use Ei SMART to to co-produce goals in partnership with parents
    • Learn how to bring the SMAR Together to promote activity and participation.
    • What’s needed to run ‘Ei SMART’ clinics – hear from practitioners.

Past Courses

  • Conference speaker event: APCP with CYPF RCOT at Institute of Child Health London

    EiSMART management board chairs, Dr Sibylle Erdman and Dr Betty Hutchon presented to a packed (pre lockdown!) lecture theatre of paediatric OTs and physios on the EiSMART approach.  This was one of the first EiSMART parent-therapist led presentations and it was enlightening for many of the attendees who had not encountered this new approach.

  • EiSMART Masterclass and Workshop

    EiSMART hosted a virtual Masterclass and Workshop for therapists, parents and professionals seeking to maximise the potential of babies with neurodevelopmental concerns. The expert-led Masterclass introduced the case for, and principles behind, the five-fold EiSMART approach. The Workshop was an opportunity to share and discuss the practical application of the EiSMART approach.

  • Conference speaker event: British Association of Neurodevelopmental Neonatal Follow up

    EiSMART was invited to join an internationally acclaimed line up of speakers for the launch and study day of BANNFU (British Association of Neurodevelopmental Neonatal Follow up), a subgroup of BAPM ( British Association of Perinatal Medicine), on 1 October 2021. This study day was attended by paediatricans, neonatalogists, psychologists, nurses and therapists, as well as parents and others involved in the follow up of high risk infants.
    This conference was considered by all to be a huge success and received excellent feedback and EiSMART was honoured to have been part of the BANNFU launch.