Collaborating to meet infant mental health needs – part one
In this two-part series, host Vicki Mansfield is joined by Lyndsay Healy (Director, Children’s Program, Gowrie SA), Dr Rickie Elliot (clinical psychologist) and Dr Louise Wightman (clinical nurse specialist) to explore how collaboration with families and clear communication between professions promotes infant mental health.
When working with parents in the early years, transdisciplinary collaboration assists practitioners to understand the family’s psychosocial context and to ensure the voice of child is central. This is particularly important when planning and making decisions about the child’s mental health and wellbeing. Collaboration helps identify how the family’s informal supports and professional services can coordinate the changes needed for family’s wellbeing.
Transdisciplinary collaboration reduces the need for parents to re-tell their stories, improves access to referrals and develops clarity around a shared vision for the child’s wellbeing.
Clear communication between services enables the system of care to see the ‘whole child’. This facilitates the coordination of early intervention approaches; moderates risk of harm for the child; and reduces potential long-term mental health impacts for children.
In this episode, our guests share what guides their practice with infants and families. They explore key practice points for interdisciplinary collaboration during the antenatal period and early years. They also share insights on the importance of creating a village of support for all families.
In this episode, you will learn about:
- how antenatal screening and collaboration supports early interventions in infant mental health [3:12]
- how child and family health nurses can work in partnership with parents to advocate for child mental health [6:26]
- how educators utilise a primary caregiving model to intentionally plan for meeting children’s social and emotional needs [14:55]
- engaging in collaborative relationships that model safe and responsive parent–infant relationships [17:43]
- the value of interdisciplinary communication and coordination to understand the ‘whole child’ [18:06]
Further information and resources:
Online courses
Practice strategies for implementation: Infants and toddlers
Keeping the infant and toddler in mind
Practice strategies for infant and toddler assessment
Practice strategies for formulation: Infants and toddlers
The Family Partnerships Model: A guide for early learning educators
Supporting children’s resilience in general practice
Practice paper