Infant Mental Health and Diversity Informed Practice

“Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH), or healthy social-emotional development in very young children, develops in the context of family, community, and cultural expectations. Culture—the shared implicit and explicit rules and traditions expressed through the beliefs, values, and goals of a group of people—is the keystone of one’s identity and shapes people’s understanding of the world (Kalyanpur & Harry, 1999). Supporting staff members in how best to provide high-quality, diversity-informed and culturally competent services to children and families is a critically important skill for program leaders.” This article describes the importance of diversity informed practice and ten tips for promoting diversity informed practice among staff.

Yes, Mental Health Includes Babies

“IECMH is the developing capacity of the infant/young child to form close and secure relationships; experience, manage, and express a full range of emotions; and explore the environment and learn—all in the context of family, community, and culture.”

“IECMH is a multidisciplinary field, inclusive of persons from many professional and community backgrounds and systems, focusing on enhancing the emotional and social competence of infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children through healthy relationships. Anyone who touches the lives of babies, young children and their families can contribute to promoting infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH).”

Genius of Play: Emotional Wellness Playbook (PDF)

Welcome to the “Emotional Wellness Playbook”! You are about to discover a carefully curated collection of play-based activities that are designed to help kids develop emotional intelligence and learn to express their feelings in a healthy way — while having fun! Play is one of the best ways to teach kids just about anything, and expressing emotions is no exception. From learning to cope to building resilience and practicing empathy, learning to manage emotions helps little hearts grow bigger and stronger, building the foundation for a healthy adulthood. What’s more, play is an excellent tool to promote relaxation, encourage positive emotions, and provide moments of joy to offset and relieve life’s everyday stresses — for both kids and adults! Brought to you by The Genius of Play, the “Emotional Wellness Playbook” has been created in collaboration with Talia Filippelli, a recognized mental health expert, founder of Starr Therapy, and a Certified Holistic Health Coach. Every activity includes step-by-step instructions and a quick summary of the play benefits it provides. Depending on your child’s age, some activities may require adult help and supervision.

Quote from Nicole Eredics

“Inclusion begins by saying, yes, we will educate every child.”

11 Things to Do After an IEP Meeting

Many critical decisions are made during an IEP meeting for a student with support needs, so effective and timely followup—with families, students, and other team members—is essential. Today’s post offers a checklist of to-do items to follow after the meeting is over. Excerpted and adapted from Equitable and Inclusive IEPs for Students with Complex Support Needs by Andrea L. Ruppar & Jennifer A. Kurth, these action items will help you follow up successfully, ensure there’s a plan for implementing the IEP, and start the team on a path to success.

Head Start: Birth to Five Father Engagement Guide

Explore this practical guide to learn how program staff build strong, meaningful, and authentic relationships with fathers in Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These relationships are the foundation of family partnerships that influence outcomes for children, families, and fathers. Find strategies early childhood leaders can apply right away. Review ideas for practice and reflection.

Dad’s Rock: Engagement Toolkit (PDF)

The Dad’s Rock Engagement Toolkit provides many ways to use The Dad’s Rock video to promote discussion and reflection on father engagement. It includes practical tips for schools, for teachers, for community groups, for men, and for women to consider in adopting a more father-friendly approach and a Father Friendliness Agency Self-assessment.

Use the toolkit and share the film to spark conversations with potential partners in your community.

Dad’s Rock: Nurturing Family Engagement Video

Dads Rock follows fathers on the journey to deepen their bonds with their children and the professionals working to improve father engagement. The research is clear that children do better when dads are involved, and yet all too often, agencies struggle to attract fathers to their services, and fathers face unconscious bias that keeps them at arms’ length. Highlighting the work of the Children’s Trust of Massachusetts Fatherhood Initiative, this film provides a fly-on-the-wall look at home visiting with dads, father support groups, and professional men’s family service providers’ groups to provide insights into working differently with dads and addressing existing biases.

Share the film and use the Engagement Toolkit to spark conversations with potential partners in your community.

4-year-old has heart-to-heart with his mom about how to process his feelings (Video)

This kid is wise beyond his years.

Disability – How You See Me

“Society doesn’t correlate disability with being attractive… but we CAN be stylish, gorgeous, stunning, and FABULOUS.” For those with disability, what do you feel makes you a FABULOUS person? How do you think people see you as someone with a disability?

Infant Mental Health and Diversity Informed Practice