Encouraging healthy social-emotional development of all children is a major goal of early intervention. Here you will find resources to help you as you interact with families and share strategies for positive social-emotional development.
Social Emotional Development
Available Resources
Virginia-Specific Info
Early Childhood Mental Health Virginia (external website)
On this site you will find information about the VA Association for Mental Health, Infant Mental Health Endorsement, trainings and events, publications and other resources.
VA Association for Infant Mental Health
The Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH) is an interdisciplinary, professional organization established to nurture and promote the optimal development of infants, toddlers, and families through relationship-based training and advocacy efforts. Visit this site to learn more.
VA Infant Mental Health Endorsement
The intent of the Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH) Endorsement is to recognize the professional development of infant and family service providers within the diverse and rapidly expanding infant and family field. The VAIMH Endorsement offers individuals in the infant and family field a professional development plan that focuses on knowledge, best practice skills, and supervised work experiences that lead to increased confidence and credibility within the infant and family field. Click above for more information.
Handouts and Documents
Briefing Paper: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Early Intervention (Part C): Policies and practices for supporting the social and emotional development and mental health of infants and toddlers in the context of parent-child relationships (external website)
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
This Briefing Paper explores the policies and practices of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) that state early intervention (Part C) programs may consider implementing to meet the social-emotional and mental health needs of infants and toddlers in the context of relationships with their parents and other caregivers.
Development of Social-Emotional Skills (external website)
Zero to Three
On this page you will find three handouts that can be shared with parents to promote healthy social emotional development for children ages birth to 12 months, 12 to 24 months, and 24 to 36 months.
The 11 Behavior Management Principles (external website)
Junior League-Vanderbilt Center for Parenting Young Children
This handout provides guidance for families on how to organize and apply principles of behavior management to teach discipline.
Infant Mental Health (IMH) Competencies and Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices Crosswalk
VA Early Intervention Professional Development Center and Kansas State University
This crosswalk has been aligned with the knowledge/skill areas found within the Competency Guidelines® and the Division of Early Childhood Recommended Practices.
Meeting the Social-Emotional Development Needs of Infants and Toddlers: Guidance for Early Intervention Program Providers and Other Early Childhood Professionals (external website)
New York State Dept. of Health Early Intervention Program
The intent of this document on social-emotional development is to provide guidance to the wide variety of professionals who touch the lives of infants and toddlers and their families across the broad array of early childhood programs and services.
Professional Development Resources Available to Support Infant Mental Health
Integrated Training Collaborative
This document provides links and descriptions of resources to assist EI practitioners with improving and building relationships with families, writing social-emotional outcomes, and talking with families about mental health needs.
Promoting Social Emotional Development – Tips and Tools (external website)
Zero to Three
Visit this site for lots of handouts and resources related to building relationships, addressing feelings, developing cooperation, curiosity, self-control, etc.
Pyramid Model Overview (external website)
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
This site provides information about the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model), an early childhood multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), including the basics, tiers, research, and resources.
Self-Regulation Snap Shot #1: A Focus on Infants and Toddlers
OPRE, UNC FPG Child Development Institute, and Duke Center for Child and Family Policy
This snap shot summarizes key concepts about self-regulation development and intervention for infants and toddlers for practitioners and educators interested in promoting self-regulation for this age group.
Social-Emotional Development
Pathways
Visit this page for information and a short video explaining social-emotional development in infants and toddlers. Information also addresses the basics, abilities, tips, activities, and what to watch for.
Supporting Social and Emotional Development - What All Early Intervention Providers Can Do
Leah Davidson, Infant & Toddler Connection of Arlington and Lisa Terry, Partnership for People with Disabilities at VCU
This resource highlights 11 strategies EI providers can use with families to support healthy social and emotional development. Examples of how to implement each strategy and an explanation of why each strategy is important are included.
Journal Articles
Social Determinants of Health for Infants and Toddlers Brief 2022 (external website)
ZERO to THREE
This report, produced in partnership with Child Trends, uses State of Babies Yearbook data to cast light on the specific Social Determinants of Health for babies and their families.
What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs (external website)
Georgetown University/Center for Child and Human Development
This article highlights the critical factors for an effective intervention in supporting a child’s social, emotional, and behavioral development, as well as the structures needed to make a program successful.
eLearning, Presentations, and Webinars
eLearning
Foundations for Infant/Toddler Social Emotional Health and Development: Provider Modules (external website)
Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health
This course includes 16 computer-based learning modules in three sections:
infant/toddler development, relationships as the context for development, and supporting infant/toddler development through approaches to individualization.
IECMH Virtual Trainings Portal (external website)
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
The Center of Excellence offers virtual events as a way to connect and provide participants an opportunity to discuss concerns, share their approaches and learn more about how the field of mental health consultation has pivoted in these times to support young children, their families and caregivers and their early childhood systems.
Social Emotional Development of Young Children (external website)
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative
Partnership for People with Disabilities at VCU
This module was developed as an introduction to social emotional development, also known as infant mental health, for children birth to age five. Topics covered in this module include: social emotional development, evidence-based research including a framework for infant child mental health, and reflection on the impact of past experiences, family, and culture on healthy social emotional development.
Presentations
Diving Deeper to Understand Behavior (external website)
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
This conference session was presented at the 2021 Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (VAAEYC) conference. Presenters Lisa Terry and Patricia “Patty” Eitemiller shared an energetic and engaging session adapted from the Zero to Three: The Growing Brain curriculum. Lisa and Patty highlighted the “Five R’s,” reviewed the three factors that impact behavior, and discussed the nine temperament traits as a contributing factor to behavior. Strategies for managing challenging behavior were also discussed. This session was pre-recorded and presented simultaneously during the conference.
Webinars
ABC: All Behavior Communicates! – Practical Strategies to Address Difficult Behavior
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Mickey VanDerwerker
During this webinar, participants will learn about several strategies that can help to positively address difficult moments. These strategies are based on the big idea that behavior communicates. Click the link above to visit the 2015 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinar.
Approaching Families about Early Mental Health Care
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Jean S. Odachowski
This presentation explores which children may need interventions directed at specifically enhancing mental health and how to talk to parents about this need without creating fear or anxiety for them. Click the link above to visit the 2016 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinar.
The Digital Distraction - The Intersection Between Technoference and the Parent-Child Dyad - Part I
The Digital Distraction - Creating Spaces for Lessons Learned, Reflective Practice, and Professional Strategy – Part II
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Tracy Ellis-Walters, MEd, ECSE, IMH-E
Part I of this two-part webinar series introduces participants to the concept of technoference and unpack how technoference is becoming a significant disruptor in the areas of attachment, attunement, and neurodevelopment. Part II of this series offers participants the opportunity to review the implications for technoference in the parent-child dyad, analyze professional bias that may enter the work with families surrounding technology, and use reflective practice to build professional practices to support families. This session also provides the “voice” of many who are impacted by technology use while trying to navigate our relationships within the context of a technologically based life.
Equity Chat Series: Unpacking the Revised Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Competencies
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
The Equity Chat Series is designed to provide a forum to further dialogue on equity topics in order to support more equitable systems and strengthen culturally responsive IECMHC practices to reduce disparities and improve child outcomes.
Foundations of Social Emotional Development: Attachment - Part I
Foundations of Social Emotional Development: Temperament - Part II
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Naomi H. Grinney, LCSW
This two-part webinar series explores attachment and temperament and the role of trauma in early life. Strategies to build parent/provider capacity to support their little ones are discussed.
Infant Mental Health in Early Intervention (external website)
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) 2021 Annual Conference
Are you interested in learning more about Infant Mental Health? This session helps participants understand how an infant mental health perspective supports families.
This session was presented/recorded during the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) conference. For more information about the next upcoming conference, visit the DEC website.
The Foundation of the Pyramid: Social Emotional Development within the Context of Nurturing Relationships and Supporting Environments
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Rob Corso and Bonnie Grifa
This webinar provides information about social-emotional development in infants and toddlers. Information about VA’s infant mental health certification is also shared. Click the link above to visit the 2012 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinar.
Preventing Challenging Behavior in the Home Setting
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Jaclyn D. Joseph, Ph.D., BCBA
This training focuses on ways to prevent challenging behavior in the home setting. We will define challenging behavior and social-emotional competence, and we will discuss why young children demonstrate challenging behaviors. Four parenting practices for preventing challenging behaviors will be outlined, and resources will be shared regarding what families and providers can do when challenging behaviors begin or when they continue to occur. Click the link above to visit the 2017 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinars.
Ready, Set, Resilience: Understanding and Supporting Infant and Toddler Protective Factors
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Mary Mackrain
This webinar provides information about social and emotional health including critical indicators, key research findings, and strategies for caregivers. Click the link above to visit the 2010-2011 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinar.
Trusting Relationships
VA’s Integrated Training Collaborative | Partnership for People with Disabilities
Presented by Leah Davidson, M.S., IMH-E (II)
Please join us for a lively discussion on the role that relationships play in the development of young children. We'll review some basics about the importance of relationships, reflect on our own experiences in early intervention, and tie the information directly to the information provided by Dr. Mona Delahooke during her recent online talk about neurodevelopmental approaches to intervention. If you've ever said this to yourself or a colleague "I wish Dr. XXXX would not just spit out the diagnosis and then tell the family to call us - it makes the family feel so lost and sad!!!" then this is the webinar for you - let's empower each other to shed promote learning through relationships and shed light on the power of the ties that bind us. Click the link above to visit the 2018 Talks on Tuesdays Archive and scroll down until you find the webinars.
Understanding Behaviors: Triggers, Reflections, and Expectations
This webinar was presented at the Summer 2023 VAIMH Professional Development Series. Presenters Cori Hill and Lisa Terry identified three key factors of understanding behavior: development, temperament, and environment. They helped participants reflect on triggers and shared information on reframing. Participants had the opportunity to practice skills by reviewing four different case studies.
This webinar was sponsored by VAIMH. For more information, visit https://www.vaimh.org/
Materials:
Competencies addressed: Infant/Young Child Development & Behavior, Infant/Young Child and Family-Centered Practice, and Life Skills
2021 Equity in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Webinar Series
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
This webinar series focused on a variety of matters around equity.
Tools
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Toolbox (external website)
Center of Excellence in IECMHC
This Toolbox offers interactive planning tools, guides, videos, and other resources to support IECMHC efforts in your state, tribe, or community. The Toolbox offers:
- Information about the latest research and best practices for IECMHC in infant and early childhood settings where consultation occurs, such as home visiting, early care, and education
- Resources and strategies on best practices to help fill the gap in areas where additional guidance is needed to advance the field of IECMHC
Videos
Pyramid Model Overview (external website)
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
This site provides information about the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model), an early childhood multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), including the basics, tiers, research, and resources.
Temperament: What Makes Your Child Tick? (external website)
Zero to Three
This video is designed to help families understand temperament in infants and toddlers.
Toddler Development – Practice Clips (external website)
Desired Results Access Project – Video Library
Visit this video library for clips of toddlers participating in typical routines and activities. These videos were produced for use in professional development activities to provide early interventionists, early childhood educators, and other early care and education practitioners opportunities to practice skills such as observation, documentation, and assessment. You’ll find the following toddler clips in the Practice Clips section of the library:
- Tania Playing in the Yard (3:33) Tania demonstrates a variety of gross motor, communication, and social skills.
- Ben at Dinnertime (3:04) Ben demonstrates a variety of social, communication, and mealtime skills.
- Nicholas at Story Time (2:39) Nicholas demonstrates a variety of fine motor, social, and early literacy skills.
- Crystal Moving Around (3:26) Crystal demonstrates a variety of movement, social, and communication skills.
- Max at Mealtime (3:41) Max demonstrates a variety of social, communication, and self-feeding skills.
- Severina Plays Knock Knock (1:31) Severina demonstrates a variety of social, communication, and fine motor skills.
- Alec's Morning Routine (3:53) Alec demonstrates a variety of self-help, social, and communication skills.
Websites/Programs
Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (external website)
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
This federally-funded center provides free resources including infographics, studies, videos, and other resources related to the IECMH field, its impact, and federal policies that affect implementation.
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) (external website)
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. Visit this website for many resources, such as training modules research syntheses, practical strategies and briefs, videos, and transcripts of topical chat sessions. Many resources are available in English and Spanish.
Highlighted resources include:
- Infant/Toddler Training Modules (external website)
- Infant/Toddler Parent Modules (external website)
- What Works Brief – Helping Children Express their Wants and Needs (external website, pdf)
- What Works Brief – What are Children Trying to Tell Us? Assessing the Function of their Behavior (external website, pdf)
- Handouts for use with parents and professionals
- Case Studies
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (external website)
ZERO to THREE
This organization has an extensive history of investment in and commitment to IECMH. Their website includes free resources (e.g., podcasts, archived webinars, tips and tools, and other resources).
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health - English (external website)
- Child Care Technical Assistance Network
This site offers resources (e.g., infographics, articles, reflective exercises, videos) that are organized around the parts of the IECMH definition.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) (external website)
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
Visit this topic page from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center to learn about policies and practices for supporting the social and emotional development and mental health of children from birth to age 5 that are provided within the context of the child’s relationships with family and caregivers. Resources range from an overview of IECMH to resources and professional development opportunities.
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (external website)
The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) improves and supports the capacity of state systems and local programs to implement the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model), an early childhood multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), with the goal of to improving the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children with, and at risk for, developmental disabilities or delays.
Social and Emotional Development (external website)
Zero to Three
Visit this site for handouts (some in English and Spanish), podcasts, videos, and many other resources related to encouraging healthy social and emotional development.
Technical Assistance Center of Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) (external website)
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities and creates FREE products and resources to help decision-makers caregivers, and service providers apply these best practices in the work they do every day.
Resources include articles, podcasts, videos, handouts, issue briefs, and tools you can use. Most of these free products are available on the website for you to immediately view, download and use.