How We Can Help
Our Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) consultation services are based in relationships, collaborative in nature, and individualized to meet unique child, family and provider needs. To date, BrightSpark’s Holding Hope team has completed over 225 referrals and provided trauma-informed care to resolve a myriad of mental health challenges.
Why Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Matters
Research shows that IECMH consulting can help with:
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Decreasing challenging behaviors and prevent expulsion.
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Promoting healthy social and emotional development.
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Strengthening relationships among staff, children and families.
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Reducing teacher stress and decrease staff turnover.
What Does Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Look Like?
Our consultants are available to serve children, families, and providers across Washington State in King and Pierce counties! They can help by offering services such as:
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Reflective consultation with teachers, administrators, staff and families.
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Supporting providers and families in understanding and responding to children’s challenging behaviors.
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Classroom observation, both virtually and onsite as needed.
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Developing individual support plans and effective strategies for meeting children’s and families’ needs.
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Resources and referrals for children, families and staff.
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Trainings for staff, administrators and coaches on topics such as Trauma-Informed Practice, Understanding and Managing Challenging Behavior, Expulsion Prevention and more.
Child/Family Consultations
During Child/Family Consultations, IECMH Consultants collaborate with providers, families, and caregivers to assess, understand, and address needs and develop individualized plans. Consultants help assist with children who display challenging behaviors; have specific developmental concerns, are close to expulsion; have difficulty with transition; are dealing with grief and loss; or are witnessing or experiencing violence at home or traumatic events in their community.
Classroom Consultations
Classroom Consultations create opportunities for caregivers, providers, and Early Learning Coaches to address practices, conditions, and stressors affecting relationships between adults and children.
Consultants establish effective transition routines in the classroom; build better classroom environments to support children’s individual needs and development; implement routines and curriculums to foster positive interactions in the classroom; and develop strategies with providers to foster children’s self and co-regulation.
Program Consultations
Consultants collaborate with providers and coaches and others to support changes in practice and policy to benefit all children, families, and adults in the early learning setting. Consultants support staff with navigating stress and compassion fatigue; build staff morale and support effective workforce development; and create program supports to reduce children’s likelihood of expulsion and build awareness and understanding of anti-bias education.
To join our waitlist, fill out our request form below. After your request is submitted, it will be reviewed by our consultants and our team will get in touch with you.