5.1

Challenges to Partnering

There are a variety of factors that may stand in the way of partnering such as conflicting belief systems, attitudes, overwhelming family problems and crises. List a few of the barriers that you have faced when partnering with families in your consultation work either on your pad of paper or complete and print this online

Entering a Partnership with Families

A baby touches her mom's face

Families are typically involved in both child/family-centered consultation and programmatic consultation. In child-centered consultation, consultants, together with caregivers, directly involve families through all steps of the consultation process: meeting and talking to gather information; having families complete child assessments; working together as a team to synthesize information; planning and implementing strategies; reviewing progress and transitioning.

What is the Role of the Family in ECMH Consultation?

Kindergarten teacher and children looking at bird's nest in libr

Now that we know research supports the importance of partnering with families, how does this happen within early childhood mental health consultation? Activity: Check off all of the ways in which you feel families can be involved with you and their child’s caregivers throughout the consultation process:  Gathering and sharing information about children through observation

What Does the Research Say About Partnerships with Families?

father and son playing

For young children, the quality of their earliest relationships with their parents and caregivers will affect their intellectual, social and physical development. Children who experience the world as responsive to their needs, predictable, and supportive will have the emotional foundations that make them ready to learn (Norman-Murch, 1996). Children can succeed when they experience similar

Defining Partnerships with Families

family reading book together

Defining Partnerships with Families When you think about partnerships that you have had in your own life what words come to mind that describe those partnerships? Take a moment to write down some of your thoughts. Many times people will use words or phrases such as: working together, supportive, team approach, collaborative, respectful, and clear

Module 1: Setting the Stage for Partnerships

Mother and baby are laughing together.

Learning Objectives After completing this module, you will be able to: Define family partnership Describe current research supporting the importance of family partnerships Describe the role of the family within early childhood mental health consultation

This product was developed [in part] under grant number 1H79SM082070-01 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.