NYS AEYC 2011

Evaluation of Early Childhood Social-Emotional Consultation Programs

Asil Ali Özdoğru

Infant mental health, used interchangeably with healthy social–emotional development, is the capacity of children from birth to age three to experience, regulate, and express emotions; form close and secure interpersonal relationships; and explore the environment and learn—all in the context of family, community, and cultural expectations for young children. Social-emotional consultation for infants and toddlers is a specific type of Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Consultants providing ECMHC engage in variety of activities such as observing children, consulting with directors and teachers, and meeting with families. Outcome evaluations of social-emotional consultations reported positive findings for children, parents, staff, and program outcomes. The most important consultant competencies for effective consultation are described as knowledge, skills, and experience in ECMH, child development, and early childhood education; positive relationships with staff and families; knowledge of community services and supports; and cultural sensitivity and linguistic competence. Quality of staff-consultant relationships is also reported as a mediating factor between frequency of consultant activities and effectiveness of consultation for children and staff. In New York’s Social-emotional Consultation in Infant and Toddler Child Care Programs initiative, a comprehensive set of data collection activities are underway to evaluate the processes and outcomes of the project.

Keywords: Early childhood, mental health, evaluation

Citation: Özdoğru, A. A. (2011, April). Evaluation of early childhood social-emotional consultation programs. Paper presented at the annual conference of the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children, Rye Brook, NY, USA.