Social-emotional skill-building and positive mental health are the foundations for children’s overall wellbeing. Positive relationships with parents, family members, and caregivers play a critical role in the social-emotional development of children during infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood.
To support families with young children, The Children’s Partnership recently created, in partnership with First 5 Association of California, Para Los Niños, and Best Start Region 1, the printable fact sheet, How Families Can Support Their Child’s Social and Emotional Development. The fact sheet is intended to help parents, caregivers, and family members of infants and toddlers support their child’s early mental health and social-emotional development.
You might find the fact sheet to be a helpful resource for the families with children in your care. Consider including it in a newsletter, posting it on a bulletin board, or just keeping it available in case families have specific questions.
The fact sheet includes lots of useful information, including:
Definition of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)
Information about how parents and family members can support the social and emotional development of their young children
Tips for parents to bond and connect with their young children (including cuddling, reading together, and enjoying shared family meals)
Additional resources for parents and family members to learn more about relationship-building with their children and the importance of IECMH
