Reflections on the organisational processes on a SCBU – a child psychotherapist's view

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper illustrates the role of child psychotherapists on Neonatal Units as reaching beyond the direct work with parents and babies to include an engagement with the staff's internal representations of the organisational sphere within which they are positioned. An understanding of the ‘organisation in the mind’ requires consideration of multiple levels, including the organisational and social processes that shape individuals’ experiences. Through the use of composite case studies inspired by my work on a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), I argue that psychoanalytically informed practice within these settings can include indirect and often unplanned interventions aimed at lessening socially structured defences and creating opportunities for thinking for both parents and staff. In my conclusions, I suggest that the role of child psychotherapists on these units, with its understanding of unconscious internal processes and organisational dynamics, can promote reflective practice and facilitate oedipal growth at both the individual and organisational level.