Work

Supporting social and emotional learning through infant and early childhood mental health consultation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article highlights infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) as a promising approach to support the social and emotional learning (SEL) of both young children and their adult caregivers in early care and education (ECE) settings (i.e., childcare, Head Start, preschool). IECMHC is “a problem-solving and capacity-building intervention implemented within a collaborative relationship between a professional consultant with mental health training and expertise and one or more consultees” ( Cohen & Kauffman, 2005 ). IECMHC is an increasingly common intervention in ECE settings, including in Head Start programs, where it is federally mandated; however, some confusion persists about the key components, strategies, and outcomes of high-quality IECMHC. Meanwhile, public understanding of the importance of interventions that support SEL starting in early life is also growing. However, little peer-reviewed work has attempted to integrate research and practice in the fields of IECMHC (which has largely existed in infant mental health spaces) and SEL (much of which has historically focused on middle childhood and beyond). To that end, this article: (a) highlights SEL as a developmental and relational process in infancy and early childhood; (b) describes IECMHC as a preventive and promotive intervention to support young children and their caregivers; (c) describes key evidence supporting IECMHC’s effects on adult and child SEL; (d) presents a novel visual conceptualization and case example illustrating the processes by which IECMHC supports adult and child SEL in ECE settings; and (e) proposes future directions for research, practice, and policy in integrating IECMHC and SEL initiatives. Readers will emerge with an enhanced understanding of IECMHC as a SEL preventive and promotive intervention with the potential to be implemented at large scales in ECE settings. The visual conceptualization and case example presented in this paper will be useful to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in thinking about the ways in which IECMHC supports both adult and child SEL.

Source: Social and Emotional Learning Research Practice and Policy

DOI: 10.1016/j.sel.2025.100084

Author: Christina F. Mondi

Institutions: Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Early Childhood Education and Development

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,700