H. Ethics
It is recognized that professionals from a wide range of disciplines, educational backgrounds, and roles will seek to develop proficiencies associated with these competencies. All professionals are not
expected to acquire competencies in all Categories or in all Domains. Organizations will need to identify applicable competencies relevant to the role(s) of their staff and mission of their organization.
Organization directors are encouraged to adopt these competencies for all staff working with children and families within their organization. Supervisors are encouraged to utilize these competencies in planning annual training for their units and in setting annual training goals with individual staff. A workforce development staff planning tool is included in this document for use by supervisors. Training resources, including web-based and face-to-face, have been identified, by domain, to assist supervisors in planning with staff.
Please note that training resources change frequently. Those identified are not intended to be all inclusive or the only trainings available. Trainings available at the time of this publication may not remain available indefinitely. The NCIMHA is not responsible for availability or content of identified trainings.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young children and Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental health
their families work with children and families in a non- therapist
clinical setting or in a supportive role
A. Parenting, Caregiving, Understands the importance of Understands issues related to transition to
Family Functioning and parent/caregiver availability. parenthood, issues of being a new parent
Parent-Child Relationships particularly for young adults
• Range of family structure Demonstrates an understanding of healthy Understands the infant/young child’s use of the Demonstrates an understanding of different patterns • Pregnancy and childbirth attachment after birth and the importance of parent as a secure base for explorations of the of parent-infant interaction and attachment and their • Postpartum period the postpartum period on the newborn. environment and under conditions of stress impact on child outcomes.
• Attachment issues • Parenting as a
developmental process
Understands the role of caregivers as models Demonstrates an understanding of family and • Family dynamics
for the development of behavior in young parenting function as a lifelong developmental • Family expectation
children (e.g. coping, anger management). process beginning before conception. regarding child
development • Providing family-
sensitive services
Adjusts daily routine based on the child’s Understands and utilizes the concept of Remediates the potential problem in the developing • Cultural issues in
temperament and understands and responds “goodness of fit” between the parent and child parent-child relationship brought about by a parenting and family
to baby cues. (temperament, etc.) in observing and temperament mismatch of parent and child.
development
supporting parent child interaction. • Goodness of fit between
parents and young children
Supports the unique parent-child relationship. Uses a variety of techniques to facilitate and Demonstrates knowledge of family dynamic (systems, • Importance of
reinforce positive parent-infant interaction and relationships) and family composition including relationships to
enhances parents’ capacity to be responsive relationships with caregiver, sibling, and extended development
and sensitive to their baby/child. family. Transitions
Family systems
Respects the parent’s relationship with child as Uses interviews with parents/caregivers to Establishes and maintains a therapeutic alliance with
primary. listen carefully, obtain information, and begin parent/caregiver.
to develop trust.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who work Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental
children and their families with children and families in a non-clinical setting or in health therapist
a supportive role
A. Parenting, Caregiving, Demonstrates awareness of Demonstrates sensitivity to professional role as a Understands the concepts of transference and counter-
Family Functioning and boundaries in working with collaborating partner with the family and advocates for transference and how they may impact the ongoing
Parent-Child families. parents while maintaining boundaries and fostering treatment
Relationships independence.
Demonstrates awareness of the potential negative impact
Continued of multiple separations and/or multiple family
placements on early development.
Demonstrates awareness of and able to competently engage with a wide range of family structures, family dynamics and cultural influences on family functioning.
Demonstrates awareness of Utilizes diverse cultural belief about development in Understands the impact of the client’s culture, values, and cultural issues that impact family understanding parent-child interaction and family education on their own behavior and reaction to the
interactions, relationships, and expectations. therapist.
parenting.
Understands that parent behavior may be the result of Demonstrates reflective insight into personal relationship how the parents were treated by their parents history and dynamics, and understands importance of (empathize with parent history). one’s own awareness in context of therapeutic
relationships with families.
Understands strategies for facilitating change and growth processes in families with significant problems in relationships — at the representational, dyadic and systemic levels.
Understands the importance of and how social supports (extended family, church, community, etc.) function for families
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who work Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental
children and their families with children and families in a non-clinical setting or health therapist
in a supportive role
B. Child Development: Demonstrates an understanding of the Demonstrates an understanding of the construct of Demonstrates an understanding of normative dyadic
Infant, Toddler and importance of healthy relationships for attachment and attachment behavior. emotional development and the implications for atypical
Preschool Age children healthy development. dyadic emotional development (parent-child).
• Typical development in infancy, toddler and/or preschool
periods Demonstrates an understanding of Recognizes difference in processing sensory inputs. Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of
• Milestones of typical development including: development of self-regulation, early childhood social
development language, motor, sensory, adaptive self- relationships, communication and representational skills,
• Peer relationships help, cognition, and social & emotional and executive function abilities for school readiness.
• Expectations of (including capacity to play and interact
children in groups with others). • Cultural variations in
development and
family expectations Recognizes and respects how different Demonstrates an understanding of the impact of Demonstrates an understanding of social-emotional
settings where children spend time environment on behavior at all stages of development and the role of peer and group interactions as
including child care, play groups, and development. it relates to child behavior and can utilize a range of
home may affect children’s behavior. strategies for promoting optimal interactions.
Accurately interprets information from direct and reported
information, observations and assessments in a range of
settings to identify capacities and strengths, as well as
developmental delays and/or emotional disturbances in
infants and young children served.
Uses collaborative approaches to explore appropriate family
expectations and provides developmental guidance in
achieving strategies that support those expectations.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who work Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental
children and their families with children and families in a non-clinical setting or health therapist
in a supportive role
C. Biological and Utilizes basic knowledge of brain Demonstrates an understanding of the impact of in Accurately interprets the bi-directional nature of biological
Psychosocial Factors development. utero toxins on later development such as alcohol, and psychosocial circumstances that influence infant brain
Impacting Outcomes nicotine, and prescription and non-prescription development, parent-child relationships and the regulation
• Temperament medications. of emotions and behavior, including genetics, low birth
• Prenatal Environment weight, under-nutrition, substance exposure, disability and
• Family Stress the impact of family discord and trauma.
• Regulatory and Demonstrates awareness of regulatory Demonstrates an understanding of the impacts of sensory issues challenges, including sleep/wake regulatory challenges (e.g., colic, disruptions in
• Brain research patterns; feeding. feeding and sleeping) on attachment and parental
• Neuro- ability to respond and sense of competence.
developmental issues Can implement supportive behavioral techniques for Demonstrates an understanding about intervention
• Prematurity and low problems in sleeping, eating, and self-control (e.g. strategies for infants with regulatory challenges and/or pre-
birth weight charting, positive reinforcement). term infants.
• Child abuse Demonstrates an understanding of Demonstrates an understanding of the impact of Can identify and address family and child health factors, • Child neglect nutritional needs and methods of chronic poor nutrition on development. including nutrition, and their role in child and family • Nutrition
feeding at different stages of outcomes from preconception onward.
• Poverty development.
• Trauma
• Community issues
• School and Demonstrates an understanding of when Demonstrates an understanding of the concept that
community services and how challenging behaviors interfere prolonged/ chronic stress in the infant/child/ parent or dyad
• Impact of such with healthy development. affects all domains of development and may lead to
factors upon subsequent interference with brain development and
development and emotional regulation.
relationships Demonstrates awareness of the kinds of Recognizes the importance of trauma-informed assessments
traumatic experiences to which young and interventions
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who work with Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental health
children and their families children and families in a non-clinical setting or in a therapist
supportive role
C. Biological and Demonstrates an understanding that Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of Identifies/describes key signs, symptoms, impact and
Psychosocial Factors trauma places children’s attachments, screening for traumatic life experiences manifestations of trauma, disrupted attachment, and
Impacting Outcomes self-regulatory capacities, and childhood adversity in children and in adults.
Continued cognitive development at risk
Demonstrates an understanding that the domains and stages Explains the relationship between trauma, adversity of normal childhood development (brain, social, emotional, and disrupted attachment in the child/caregiver cognitive, and physical) can be affected by trauma, abuse, relationship.
adversity and stress.
Demonstrates an understanding of how behaviors, including Explains how behaviors, including those that appear to those that appear to be problems or symptoms often reflect be problems or symptoms often reflect trauma-related trauma-related coping skills individuals need to protect coping skills individuals need to protect themselves and
themselves and survive. survive.
Assists parents/caregivers of children who have been Describes the multi-generational nature of trauma and exposed to trauma and childhood adversity to recognize and childhood adversity.
address their own risk for secondary/vicarious trauma and possible unresolved trauma in their own lives.
Demonstrates sensitivity to children’s parents/caregivers Defines re-traumatization and identify ways that who often have unaddressed trauma issues that can impact children and their families can be re-traumatized/ their ability to help their children. triggered by the systems and services designed to help
them.
Describes local resources for trauma specific treatment and Defines trauma informed and trauma specific care, trauma informed services for children and their families. including knowing the key elements of a trauma
informed system and being familiar with evidence based trauma treatment models.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental health therapist
children and their families work with children and families in a non-clinical
setting or in a supportive role
D. Risk and Resilience Demonstrates knowledge of the Demonstrates a theoretical understanding of the Applies concepts of resilience to guide treatment planning
• Atypical development effects of risk factors such as genetics, cumulative risk factors that affect family well- assessment and interventions with children and families. • Maternal depression medical complications, being and parent-child relationships for infants
• Parental substance prematurity/low birth weight, and young children and their families and abuse substance exposure and teratogens, communities stemming from a variety of sources. • Teenage parenting and the impact of familial, cultural,
• “Ghosts” in the nursery social, physical and/or economic • Chronic physical illness factors including poverty, abuse and • Chronic mental illness neglect on development and
in parent relationships.
• Developmental Demonstrates an understanding that Demonstrates a theoretical understanding of the Disabilities practices should be responsive to resilience factors that allow infants, toddlers and • Protective factors that developmental protective factors and preschoolers to positively adapt despite
promote resilience risk factors. significant life adversities.
• Family Violence
Demonstrates the ability to select
• Foster Care strategies/interventions based on parent
• Promoting resilience in concerns, priorities and resources, including
children and families consideration for culture, language and
• Developmental education.
disabilities
Demonstrates knowledge of the impact of Demonstrates the ability to identify and address parent-family familial, economic or social factors on difficulties that negatively impact the parent-child relationship relationships and social-emotional development. and infant or child’s social-emotional development.
Educates parents/caregivers about risk and protective factors associated with
trauma/childhood adversity, healthy child development, and assists them with developing tools/strategies to strengthen development
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental health therapist
children and their families work with children and families in a non-clinical
setting or in a supportive role
E. Observation, Screening Creates environments that are safe,
and Assessment comfortable, and welcoming for all
• Development of children, families, and staff observational skills with
infants and young Demonstrates an understanding of Demonstrated familiarity with the various tools Demonstrates an understanding of the relevance of both children how and when to refer for and the appropriate use of each tool. population and clinic prevalence for diagnosis.
• Use of observational (screening and/or) evaluation. information
• Use of screening tools Uses screening tools. Demonstrates an understanding of assessment as intervention.
• When to make referrals for more
comprehensive Conducts trauma-informed screening and
assessments including obtaining appropriate assessment
client and family histories to determine exposure • How to make a referral,
to trauma/childhood adversity and risk and including following
protective factors associated with through or assisting
trauma/childhood adversity. family with initial
contacts Demonstrates an understanding of the role of Selects and uses screening and assessment practices appropriate
• Interviewing different professionals in making appropriate to pregnant and postpartum parents, including screening for
referrals. depression.
• Introduction to major assessment
instruments and Successfully uses a wide range of Observes, in multiple settings (including the Demonstrates an understanding of how to use various strategies in various settings to home), the parent’s emotional states and their observation, screening and assessment tools/processes for the processes
reach and engage families. responses to the infant/young child. individual infant, young child and family.
Observes, in multiple settings (including the Incorporates observations of the infant and young child in home), the child’s emotional states and his/her multiple settings including play, child-parent interactions, early
response to the parent. care and education settings and home into every assessment of
the child.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area Category 1 Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers whoCategory 2 Category 3
Any person working with young work with children and families in a non-clinical Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental health therapist
children and their families setting or in a supportive role
F. Diagnosis and Observes the infant/young child’s Notices and can describe the parent’s behavior to Demonstrates an understanding of and ability to integrate a
Intervention behavior, ability to soothe, self- soothe, regulate, and redirect the infant/young multidimensional assessment of an infant or young child, utilizing
regulation, and sensitivities. child. information from other providers and caregivers as appropriate,
inclusive of health, physical, social, emotional, psychological and • Diagnostic systems for Recognizes, in the home, threats to theinfant/young child’s physical and emotional well- cultural aspects from a developmental and relational perspective.
infants, toddlers and being.
young children
Can, through observation and interview, recognize challenges to adults functioning as parents, including signs of substance abuse, developmental delay, mental illness, etc., and provide appropriate referrals and interventions.
Allows parent to express core relational conflicts in an accepting and nonjudgmental manner.
Uses and scores the results of standardized Knows the criteria necessary for formal diagnoses of disorders in observation/parent report instruments (e.g. Ages mental health and uses clinical tools appropriately (e.g. numbers and Stages, PEDS, etc.). of symptoms, age of onset, duration, impairment).
Demonstrates knowledge of the distinctions Knows about the symptoms of infant/child disorders in DSM-V; among difference, delay and disorder and makes knows about the disorders of infancy/ toddlerhood a set forth in appropriate referral for each. DC-03 and the implications of differential diagnosis for treatment;
and knows the extent to which the DC-03 disorders have counterparts in DSM-V and ICD-10
Uses the DC: 0-3R and DSM-V to diagnose problems in very young children and can provide the “cross-walk” diagnosis between the two systems within their scope of practice.
Early Childhood Social-Emotional Competencies
Knowledge area Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Any person working with young Bachelor degree or equivalent; providers who work with Master’s degree; provider is a licensed mental
children and their families children and families in a non-clinical setting or in a supportive health therapist
role
F. Diagnosis and Relates and interacts comfortably Knows how to implement dyadic therapeutic techniques as
Intervention with infants/young children. described in the infant mental health literature.
Continued Knows how to help parents Can be empathic and sympathetic while not over identifying with Organizes, synthesizes, and interprets information
identify goals and activities that the parents. from all sources and communicates the need and
contribute to pleasurable strength of the infant/young child to parents to
interaction with the infant/young facilitate their understanding and cooperation in
Linking assessment and child. treatment.
Demonstrates technique for Promotes parental competence in areas such as resolving and Provides intervention that recognizes the concept of diagnosis to soothing, limit setting, and forestalling crises and solving family conflicts. resistance to engage, to take advantage of services,
intervention protection and can discuss the etc., and seeks to overcome resistance in
Development of meaning of these with parents. a therapeutic manner
intervention goals