Offering no-cost infant and early childhood mental health consultation services, supports, and resources for all child care and early education providers in California
The California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Network delivers consultation services, supports, resources, and training activities for center-based early learning and care program staff, family child care home providers, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers.
Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Consultation
The California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Network is offering virtual consultation services at no cost to Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers across California.
If you care for the children of a family member, friend, or neighbor on a regular basis, then you can participate in FFN Consultation! If you are a service agency administrator, please share this exciting opportunity with FFN caregivers in your community.
Community Open-Door Sessions
Join us each month to connect, reflect, and grow together in a virtual, drop-in space. Later this summer we will be launching additional virtual Community Open-Door sessions to expand our reach in serving the child care and early learning community!
Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Caregivers
Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers care for the children of a family member, friend, or neighbor on a regular basis. Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers may care for the children of only one other family in addition to their own children. FFN caregivers include grandparents, aunts and uncles, elders, adult siblings, friends, nannies, neighbors, and others who help families by providing child care. FFN care is not licensed by the State.
Services available to FFN Caregivers:
Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Providers
Family child care home providers operate a child care program in their own home. FCCH providers are licensed by the state of California. They may care for up to 14 children of different ages, depending on the type of license they hold, and may be open non-standard working hours.
Services available to FCCH Providers:
Center-Based Programs
Center-based program staff work in facilities that provide care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and/or school-age children. Center-based programs may be operated independently by an organization (i.e., private preschools) or contracted through local school districts, the State, or federal agencies. Center-based programs are licensed by the State.
Services available to Center-based programs:
Our Impact
The IECMHC Network is committed to providing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation services to California’s child care and early education providers. Since our inception, we have strived to meet the unique needs of provider with a support system that includes an array of consultation services and resources. Since 2021, over 2,000 providers, program staff, and caregivers have engaged in our suite of services.
Watch this video to hear about Kim’s experience with the IECMHC Network and to learn how we may be able to support you in your role as a child care and early education provider.
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Our Approach
The IECMHC Network’s consultation services are designed to build the capacity of program staff and providers to foster the developmental, social, and emotional health and well-being of young children in their care. IECMHC Network consultants use a reflective practice approach to support program administrators, teachers, and providers while exploring problem-solving strategies within the context of infant and early childhood mental health. Consultation provides an opportunity to consider all relationships influencing young children’s well-being, both adult-child relationships and those between the adults caring for young children.
Areas of support include:
- promoting positive mental health and social and emotional development;
- addressing behavior that providers find challenging or concerning;
- focusing on relationships and practices that buffer against stress and trauma; and
- developing a program culture that promotes the well-being of providers, young children, and families.
Network Expansion
In July 2021, the funding for the California Inclusion and Behavior Consultation (CIBC) Network project moved to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) as part of the Child Care Transition from the California Department of Education, Early Learning and Care Division (CDE/ELCD) to CDSS and additional funding was dedicated to expanding the Network. As part of this transition and expansion, CIBC was renamed the California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Network. The IECMHC Network now offers an expanded suite of infant and early childhood mental health consultation resources and services to all early learning and care programs and providers across California at no cost.
