This 3-part (4.5-hour) virtual workshop series based on the Family Connections model is for mental health consultants, family service professionals, and early childhood system or program leaders. The workshops provide knowledge, skills, and strategies for strengthening partnerships with parents, understanding depression, and talking with children about difficult issues. Each workshop offers learning activities that you can bring back to your setting in service of staff and family well-being. For mental health consultants, this series provides a workshop model for professional development that you can use in the programs with whom you consult.
Family Connections is an evidence-based, capacity-building model for mental health consultation and professional development in early childhood settings. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is a capacity-building intervention that supports the mental health and social-emotional well-being of children, families, and the providers who work with them in early childhood settings. IECMHCs work directly with program leadership, staff (e.g. teachers, etc.), children, and families to understand everyone’s emotional and behavioral needs and provide promotional and preventive activities as well as intervention and referral.
Developed by a team at Boston Children’s Hospital, Family Connections is implemented in a variety of early childhood programs, particularly Head Start and Early Head Start, across the country. Learn more about Family Connections here.
What do participants learn?
- Knowledge and skills to strengthen their relationships with adults and children and promote family well-being
- Strategies to implement the learning activities in each workshop with program staff
- Tips for mental health consultants, family service professionals, and program staff to adapt these activities for staff and families in their program
Course Format
Three live interactive webinars on the following Tuesdays in March and April at 2–3:30 pm ET / 11 am–12:30 pm PT:
- March 21
- March 28
- April 4
You can register for each webinar individually or save $10 and sign up for the whole series!
# of hours
4.5–clock hours total; Certificates of Attendance will be provided at the end of the series
Audience
This series has been developed for infant and early childhood mental health consultants (IECMHCs) working in partnership with family service professionals, as well as for family service professionals, and early childhood system or program leaders.
Number of participants
Maximum of 500
BTC Learning Network members can save $10 on the workshop series fee. Contact us if you are a member.