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Supporting Healthy Development
Mental health starts at birth, and every one of us can help support a baby’s social and emotional growth. From the very beginning, infants and young children are shaped by the relationships they form and the environments around them.
Parents, caregivers, family members, and professionals all play an important role in nurturing infant and early childhood mental health. Stable, responsive relationships with parents and caregivers are especially important—they help little ones feel safe, build trust, and grow healthy brains. The resources below focus on the complete picture: children, families, and the professionals who care for them, because we know that:
- Healthy relationships help grow healthy brains.
- Adult well-being directly influences a child’s development.
- The earlier we recognize infants and toddlers who may need extra support, the better their chances for healthy growth into adulthood.
While mental health and developmental disorders can occur even in the early months and years of a child’s life, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health goes beyond the absence of delays and distress—it’s about nurturing the social and emotional well-being of infants, toddlers, and the adults who care for them.
The Zero to Three organization defines Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health as, “developing the capacity of the infant and young child to form close and secure relationships; to experience, manage, and express a full range of emotions; and to explore the environment and learn—all in the context of family, community, and culture.” This matters because the earlier we recognize, support, and address challenges, the more likely a child’s unique potential in life can be realized.
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, professional, or community leader—you belong here. Together, we can ensure that every Kansas child grows up supported, connected, and mentally well. Learn more about a new nfant and Early Childhood Mental Health community of practice in Kansas, and for weekly updates and resources on all things early childhood, sign up for the All In For Kansas Kids newsletter.
All In For Kansas Kids aims to provide increased opportunities for connections around Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, not only for families with young children, but also early childhood professionals and the broader public health community. Specifically, the early childhood ecosystem is working to:
- Develop and distribute family mental health resources including those co-created by parents and caregivers.
- Early Childhood Care and Wellness Conferences
- Extensive library of Infant & Toddler Mental Health Resources from the Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health
- Increase the confidence and competencies of early childhood and other professionals to nurture healthy early relationships. This includes recent efforts to form a community of practice involving parents and professionals from a variety of fields. There are also many organizations providing training, coaching, and consultation to early childhood professional through Cape (our state’s workforce registry and training portal).
- Assist families and professionals with navigating multiple systems, lengthy wait lists, and financial and geographic barriers to mental health from a child care provider administering a developmental screening, to a home visitor checking in with a postpartum parent, many opportunities exist to normalize getting support and to build a culture where mental health is a natural part of everyday care.
Some of the key challenges for both families and early childhood professionals in Kansas around mental health support include:
- Long waitlists and limited-service availability
- Geographic and financial obstacles to receiving care, including difficulty navigating cross-sector systems
- A lack of focused training on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health for early childhood professionals
- Social stigma around mental health
Kansas families struggle to find timely mental health care close to home. Many communities, especially rural and medically underserved areas, experience provider shortages, with families often waiting weeks or months for specialty care. The Mental Health Consultation and Resource Network is helping to close these gaps through initiatives for Kansans aged 0 to 21 (KSKidsMap) and for Kansans in pregnancy through postpartum (Kansas Connecting Communities). Together, these programs help doctors, nurses, and other providers meet the behavioral health needs of families in local communities.
- View the latest KSKidsMap Annual Report
- View the latest KCC Annual Report
The Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (KAIMH) promotes the mental health and well-being of young children and their families through professional development, advocacy, and education. View the latest events and opportunities from KAIMH.
Zero to Three resources support families and professionals during challenges so babies and toddlers have the foundation for lifelong mental and emotional well-being. View their database of Resources for Policymakers and Advocates.
The Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health is a national organization committed to fostering the emotional and social well-being of infants, young children, and their families with a focus on building a highly skilled workforce.
Kansas is forming an Early Childhood Mental Health Community of Practice as a welcoming and collaborative space for both mental health and early childhood professionals to share knowledge, explore challenges, and strengthen approaches.
This community of practice is intended for professionals and partners who work with or support children ages birth to 5 and their families, including mental health providers, early care and education professionals, home visitors, healthcare providers, family support staff, community organizations, and others committed to advancing infant and early childhood mental health.
Register to join an upcoming Community of Practice Zoom call.
Vision Statement
We envision a Kansas where every infant and young child is supported by responsive and coordinated systems that promote healthy social–emotional development, strengthen families, and ensure access to mental health supports.
More details and upcoming opportunities to join the conversation will be posted here soon!
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