A Focus on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health

December 2024

Separations: Supporting Adopted Children and Children in Foster and Kinship Care

This newsletter focuses on sharing information on infant/early childhood mental health and the importance of relationship-based approaches and supports that help infants and young children feel safe, supported, and valued by the adults around them. The newsletter, and the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program, is made possible by a partnership between the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania Key.

Welcome

The December edition of the Bright Start Bright Futures newsletter explores how experiences with the foster care system, adoption, and kinship care may impact children as they develop and grow into adulthood. We know that the body keeps the score, which means that even experiences that occur when a child is in the womb impact brain development. Such experiences influence a person’s ability to form and maintain positive relationships. We hope this newsletter edition helps caregivers understand the child’s perspective and helps foster long-lasting positive relationships with others.  

Did You Know?

This Iceberg Model represents the range of behaviors exhibited by children and young people that stem from stress and fear. It helps adults consider the reasons for the behaviors so that they can sensitively and compassionately respond to underlying issues and promote a sense of safety and security. This helps children develop their ability to form trusting, supportive relationships. Click here to print the What we see, what is happening infographic.

Supporting Children in Foster Care

Changes in Children’s Behavior Before and after Parent Visits. Wonderful resource that lists before and after-visit symptoms to expect from foster children. This includes easy-to-read bullet points that detail support strategies and when to seek professional help.

Safe and Sound: Responding to the Experiences of Children Adopted or in Foster Care: A Guide for Early Education and Child Care Providers. This article is an in-depth guide to help early childhood educators develop skills to help adoptive and foster families. It includes guidance for children with trauma history per age group as well as physiological effects on the brain.

Safe and Sound: Responding to the Experiences of Children Adopted or in Foster Care: A Guide for Teachers, Counselors and Other Professional Working with School-Age Children an Youth.  Another great article that details steps for successful experiences with children in adopted or foster care. 

Supporting Adopted Children

What Teachers Should Know About Adoption. Great informational resource with a list of “Did you know?” facts and recommendations for creating an adoption-sensitive classroom. The tips are categorized in bullet points to make it easy to follow and implement.

Welcoming Families with Children Who Were Adopted. This article explores domestic and international adoption practices and their implications for teachers. It details adoption-friendly language that promotes a diverse learning environment. 

Activities and Books for the Classroom

Children’s Books About Adoption. This link provides a list of 25 children’s books to read aloud with family about adoption. The list includes picture books up to middle school grade levels!

Belonging: A Place for You - Sesame Workshop. This link shares a video that reinforces self-worth and value during challenging transitions in a new home. It especially lists affirmations that should be repeated to children who are experiencing these changes.

Adoption-friendly family trees. These printable templates explore alternative family trees to welcome kids from all families and celebrate their uniqueness. Each tree has a description of how to use it and the purpose behind the activity. A must-try!

Heart Pocket Sesame Street in Communities. This activity helps children remember that they carry memories in their hearts even when they are separated from loved ones. This printable PDF file is available to start right away!

Family Focus and Kinship Care

Pennsylvania KinConnector. This resource connects Kinship families with someone to contact for support. It includes brochures, Infographics, and explanations of Kinship care.

Foster Care- Sesame Workshop. Sesame Street can be a huge asset in a foster care journey. There are so many activities, videos, books, and articles that cover many common foster care topics. Take a look at the Together Poem: You’re Okay!

Trauma-Informed Parenting: Your Complete Guide. This guide offers insights into the effects of trauma on a child’s brain, how to heal, and what trauma-informed parenting looks like. It includes lists of positive parental interactions and expectations to build trusting relationships.

Talking about Adoption Part 1: Talking with 0-5 Year-Olds. This resource provides commonly asked questions and suggested answers. There is also a wonderful link to children’s books about adoption.

Trauma and Stress

Children with Traumatic Separation: Information for Professionals. This resource explores topics of traumatic separation and stress in children. It includes support for challenges explicitly designed for professionals.

Safe and Sound: Helping Children Who Have Experienced Trauma and Adversity. This series of resources is designed to help children who have experienced trauma and adversity by helping their parents, caregivers, and other adults in their lives understand how that early trauma may have affected them.

8 Things to Remember about Child Development. While the title suggests overall child development, these eight subsections appropriately target areas to remember as we work with children in foster, adoptive, and kinship care situations.

Office Hours

IECMH Consultation helps adults strengthen their relationships with young children and build capacity to respond to children’s social-emotional needs. IECMHC can help reduce caregiver stress and increase caregivers’ reflective practice skills.

IECMH Consultants are available by appointment to provide IECMHC Virtual Office Hours consultation via telephone or video conference. IECMHC Virtual Office Hours is a short-term, collaborative, problem-solving conversation to help you find the next steps for Child Social-Emotional Concerns | Child Behavioral or Developmental Concerns, Emotional Well-being of Teachers and Caregivers | Partnering with Families.

Appointments are held on the first and third Fridays of the month or other days/times by request.  Get more info.

Accessing IECMHC Services

The Pennsylvania Key has streamlined the process for Keystone STARS programs to request Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). Child care providers can request services by using the Request for Service Form (PDF). Completed forms can be submitted via email to PAIECMH@pakeys.org or faxed to 717-213-3749.

Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.

Accessing SACCMHC Services

With the generous support of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), the Pennsylvania Key IECMH Consultation team has expanded to include four mental Health consultants to support School Age Child Care (SACC) programs participating in Keystone STARS.  This service will be primarily tele-consultation support. Click here to request support.  Click here to request support.

Share your feedback! We'd like to hear your thoughts on infant early childhood mental health. Are there resources you'd like to see? Questions you have? Tell us! Send your feedback to PAIECMH@pakeys.org.

Share your feedback! We'd like to hear what you think about infant early childhood mental health.

Are there resources you'd like to see? Questions you have? Tell us! Send your feedback to PAIECMH@pakeys.org.