Building Early Attuned Relationships
At the beginning of 2025, the Parent-Infant Foundation invited us to be part of something special. Backed by the National Lottery Community Fund, they were preparing to launch a new pilot in Wales — BEAR/ARTH (Building Early Attuned Relationships) — focused on the vital importance of a child’s first 1,000 days.
We worked alongside the Foundation’s team — including Dr Liz Gregory, Dr Nicola Canale, and Gemma Higgins — with input from a parent steering group to make sure the programme felt grounded in real family experiences as well as research. From the start, it was clear this work was going to have a genuine impact, and we were excited to help bring it to life.
Why the first 1,000 days matter
The first 1,000 days- from conception to age two, are sometimes called a “golden window” in child development. During this time, a baby’s brain grows faster than at any other stage of life. What happens in these years lays the foundations for health, learning, and relationships across a lifetime (Parent-Infant Foundation).
Research shows that early experiences don’t just shape childhood — they echo across the whole of life. Adversity and neglect in these years can affect stress regulation and emotional wellbeing (PMC), while secure, responsive relationships act as a protective buffer (Children in Wales Report).
Too often, babies’ needs can be overlooked in policy and practice simply because they cannot speak for themselves. BEAR/ARTH is designed to change that, helping health visitors, midwives, early years practitioners and community workers see the world from a baby’s perspective, and strengthen the relationships that matter most.
Bringing BEAR/ARTH to life
Our role at Yoke was to translate the vision behind BEAR/ARTH into something people could connect with on both a professional and personal level. Together with the Parent-Infant Foundation, we created:
A hand-painted visual identity that feels both credible and human
A suite of illustrations showing everyday family life
An explainer animation to share the message simply and clearly
A set of practitioner training tools, from presentation templates to crib sheets
One of the most meaningful outputs was a children’s book–style pocket guide designed and illustrated for learners to take away after the training. Small enough to keep on hand, it gives professionals a quick visual reference to the BEAR/ARTH principles long after the session ends.
Looking ahead
The pilot is now rolling out across Wales, giving professionals practical tools and insights to use every day with families. BEAR/ARTH is a step towards making sure every baby’s earliest experiences are recognised, supported, and valued, and it may well provide a model for future programmes across the UK.
For us at Yoke, it’s been a privilege to support the Parent-Infant Foundation team and parents who helped shape this work. Projects like this remind us how design, when rooted in purpose, can play a small but meaningful part in improving lives.
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