Join us in creating and participating in spaces where anyone working with young children prenatal to five years of age and their families can engage in both learning and healing for themselves towards the healing and joy of young children and families in our communities.
Healing-Centered
for
ANYONE working with young children
Supports
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"I genuinely feel less alone. It is so easy to feel like our struggles are singular, like we are in our own little bubble struggling. Hearing the stories and struggles of others helps me feel like I'm not alone and that there is something to be done about all the inequalities that we face."
- from the voices of participants
"I did not expect to gain so many loving souls that want to support in my growth and development the way that I want to support theirs. I have felt more power and confidence to call people in when things are said or done that are not right or fair."
Why is understanding infant-family early childhood mental health so important?
Infant and early childhood mental health refers to the social-emotional well-being and development of children starting as early as the prenatal period and up until the age of five years old. Babies learn about themselves and experience the world in relationship to others. These relationships are impacted by the family culture and by the communities they live in. It is within the context of these complex relationships and social environment that development unfolds. Much like a seed buried in the soil, infants and very young children are impacted by both the soil around them and the conditions surrounding them. Any and every individual with the sacred responsibility to nurture this seed can significantly impact how the seedling grows and develops. Centering infant and early childhood mental health offers the possibility for the seedling to not only survive but to thrive, even when the conditions and those around them are challenged.
WHY Our ProgramS
Our programs shift from focus on the individual towards the collective. Our team is committed to centering and uplifting the voices of practitioners, children, and families with limited access to resources. As such, these learning communities are reimagined to be spaces where belonging, intergenerational wisdom, story sharing, and humility are centered. Just as young children learn best in the context of a safe and nurturing environment, we too hold relationships as both a value and a foundation to deepen learning about infant and early childhood mental health in a way that celebrates the humanity of one another and those we serve.
CONNECT WITH US
We would love to connect with anyone who wants professional development or reflective practice work locally, county-wide or state-wide. We are ALL needed in this work! Whether you are a provider who needs these spaces in order to reclaim your power, practice, hope, and engage in healing to support children and families, or an ally thinking about what you can do to create courageous spaces where all of us can work together and move forward, or perhaps a leader or funder who can help us continue this work or grow it into your community, connect with us!
Contact Us
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can use this form or email us at:
Monica Mathur-Kalluri, Project Director
WestEd | Early Learning, Health, and Human Development Division
