ECED 141 - Foundations of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Credits: 3
Introduces students to the field of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Topics covered in this course include defining the field, exploring the importance of early relationships for healthy brain development, discussing the role secure attachments and co-regulation have on the developing brain and self-regulation capacities. Lastly, identifying relationship-based strategies that support young children and families in early childhood settings. Reflective practice, a way of studying our own experience to increase awareness, understanding, and connection to others, will also be explored.

Enrollment Requirement: Instructor permission.

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the social and emotional needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Understand the basic competencies necessary to integrate an infant and early childhood mental framework into their work with young children, families, and caregivers.
Understand the development of the attachment system and how to support it by applying theory to practice.
Integrate relationship-based principles and approaches to supporting families and other caregivers of young children.
Develop a reciprocal, culturally appropriate, relationship-based interaction plan that supports positive interactions within early childhood settings.
Gain awareness of a self-reflection stance to support reflective practice when working within early childhood programs.
Gain awareness of and apply racial equity, diversity and inclusion practices when working with diverse children, families, and communities.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.