Early Relational Health e-Newsletter November 2022

November 2022 | Issue 10

Facilitating Attuned Interactions

“I never thought I’d feel this way… but I don’t love her.” Those words from a distraught, new parent launched the Erikson Institute Fussy Baby Network nearly two decades ago. Working with parents of fussy babies taught us many lessons, like the importance of patiently being with families in the hard moments and seeing babies through their parents’ eyes. The intensity of those experiences also led us to see that we needed an approach to address the wellbeing of both the provider and the family. FAN (Facilitating Attuned Interactions) is a conceptual model and practical tool for relationship-building and reflective practice that grew out of that work. It has proven to be useful not only in working with parents around infant fussiness but in all kinds of helping relationships.

The theory guiding FAN is attunement; that is, if a person feels connected and understood they are open to change. The FAN (Pictured Below) is a tool to help the provider understand how to be most helpful to a parent in any given moment. Does the parent need space to express feelings? Think together about a concern? Try out a new approach? An essential part of FAN is that it creates a place for parents to share insights about themselves and their child, and space for providers to reflect and rebalance, too. Mindful Self-Regulation is a moment for the provider to pause and check in on their sensations, thoughts, and feelings and figure out how to be most helpful.

FAN fosters greater equity as practitioners develop self- awareness and can identify biased or discriminatory attitudes, beliefs, and practices. While the FAN provides a framework for attuning to parents, the ARC of Engagement provides a structure for collaborating with the family (Pictured Below).

“She [home visitor] usually tries to get me to answer my own question. I really like that. She’ll ask me questions, [and] I'm like, ‘I know where you're going with this.’ She’s like. . . “You know you just answered yourself?” Then when I have concerns that I can’t just get on the phone and call somebody, I can think in my mind, ‘Okay, let’s walk through this. Let’s do what we do at our visits. It’s nice to have that idea in the back of my head that, I can get through this on my own.’

FAN is excited to join forces with the ERH movement in supporting providers and families. To learn more, contact Tori Graham, FAN Training Director, at: [email protected].

Parent Perspective

Question 1: What information and training do you feel that providers need to help you feel heard, supported, and accepted?

ERH Family Network Collaborative Collective Response: Providers should be trained to use common and reciprocal language and learn how to listen without bias and assumptions to understand our concerns about our children's needs. It's also important that they respect our beliefs and culture. They should be trained to focus on our strengths as a parent, while talking to us not at us. Utilizing motivational interviewing as an approach to communication is another way to help us feel supported.

Question 2: How might this help support your ability to nurture and connect with your child?

ERH Family Network Collaborative Collective Response: This type of training would provide clearer communication while also strengthening our confidence as a parent and our ability to be a strong advocate for our children. It models acceptance, appreciation, and trust and supports us to feel valued as an individual.

Updates from the Early Relational Hub at CSSP

Willis, Long, and Friends November 2022: Parent Nation Advances ERH

Imagine what it would be like if (when) our nation embraced supporting the needs of all parents with knowledge, commitment and needed resources. How the children in our nation would thrive! Dana Suskind, MD, from TMW Center in Chicago, has become a champion for parents and leading a movement toward building a Parent Nation by fostering the growth of communities of support, elevating a strong identity for parents in their shared desire for the best for their children and advocating for our nation to listen and respond. This movement is building momentum around this shared vision.

Watch the Recording Here

Early Relational Health Messaging Guide

To support the effective communications of the Early Relational Health movement, CSSP, in collaboration with Health+ Studio, developed the messaging guide, How to Communicate Effectively About Early Relational Health: What It Is and Why It Matters.

This guide is a tool to help the many voices supporting and working alongside young children and families speak the same language to spread awareness, spark interest, advocate holistically, and accelerate change to advance Early Relational Health for all families.

Read the Guide Here

What is Early

Relational Health?

Early Relational Health is the state of emotional well-being that grows from the positive emotional connection between babies and toddlers and their parents when they experience safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with each other. ERH is foundational to children’s healthy growth and development and parents’ sense of competence, connection, and overall well-being. These resilient and enduring relationships also help to protect the family from the harmful effects of stress.

Core ERH Resources

Frameworks Institute. Building Relationships: Framing Early Relational Health . Prepared in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Social Policy. May 2020.

Willis D, Chavez S, Lee J, Hampton P, Fine A. Early Relational Health National Survey: What We’re Learning from the Field. Center for the Study of Social Policy. 2020.

Willis D, Sege R, Johnson K. Changing the Mindset: Foundational Relationships Counter Adversity with HOPE. (Blog) Center for the Study of Social Policy. May 2020.

Perspectives on ERH Video Series

Perspectives on Early Relational Health Series. Center for the Study of Social Policy. 2022.

What We're Reading and Watching

Batja Mesquita, Between Us. July 2022. Watch the Book Event Here.

Marian Salzman, The New Megatrends: Seeing Clearly in the Age of Disruption. May 2022. Find it Here.

Mittman, H, Heinrich, J, and Levi, J. Accountable Communities for Health: What We are Learning from Recent Evaluations. National Academies of Medicine. October 2022. Read Here.

Copeland, W. et al. Long-term outcomes of childhood family income supplements on adult functioning. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(10), 1020-1026. May 2022. Read Here.

Early Relational Health Initiative Vision:

Harness the Power of Early Relationships

for the Flourishing of All.

The mission of the National Early Relational Health Initiative 3.0 is to ensure that all infants, young children, and their families benefit from supports and social connections that advance early relational health and its contribution to lifelong well-being and thriving.

Parents know that positive connections with their children matter, regardless of their circumstances. However, social, racial, cultural, and economic injustices and challenges can overload families and communities, often taking a toll on parents, young children, and their relational health. Because of barriers created by lacking family policies, families do not have access to supports that are responsive to their needs.

To promote Early Relational Health in every community, we need to first listen to parents to understand the challenges they are facing and what supports and services work best for them. We must then work together with families to create a shared vision to transform our communities, systems, programs, and policies, so each and every family can experience the emotional well-being and joy that come from those first days, months, and years of connecting and nurturing.

The ERH Initiative is one of many activities at CSSP related to young children and their families, which also includes DULCE, Strengthening Families, Early Learning Nation, EC-LINC, and the development and promotions of anti-racist , family-driven, and effective early childhood policies, programs, and systems.