Mental health is everybody’s business. It is often most helpful to offer staff regular training in mental health topics. Intentionally providing opportunities to collaborate around supporting mental health for children, families, and staff can deepen professional development.

Tips and Strategies for Training Staff

• Use information from your community assessment to plan relevant and prompt trainings for staff.
• Normalize conversations about mental health and trauma-informed care by creating frequent opportunities to talk about mental health.
• Consult with your mental health consultant when making your training and technical assistance plan. If the consultant is not the best fit to train your staff, the consultant may be able to refer another expert.

Resources for Staff Professional Development

• Making the Most of Your Mental Health Consultation
• Managing Stress with Mindful Moments

Collaborating with Families

Promoting safety and consistency through positive relationships between Head Start staff and families helps a child’s mental health. Embrace family involvement and respect the expertise families have about their own children. This will create a community for celebration of successes and support during challenges.

Tips and Strategies for Collaborating with Families

• Build relationships with families so that difficult conversations, should they need to happen, can be easier.
• Offer information about social and emotional development of young children to help normalize conversations about mental health.

Resources for Collaborating with Families

• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Information for Families
• Assessing Family Crisis