Supporting Ontario's youngest minds : Investing in the mental health of children under 6

In an effort to advance a common understanding of infant and early childhood mental health that conveys the importance of a child’s social and emotional development, the U. S. Zero to Three Infant Mental Health Task Force4 developed the following definition, and later modified it to include all children under 6 years: Infant and early childhood mental health, sometimes referred to as social and em [...] Based on the literature, leading policy in other jurisdictions and the results of an environmental scan, the authors propose the following recommendations: 1. Engage families and caregivers together with service providers in developing and implementing infant and early childhood mental health policy and system planning. [...] Investing in the mental health of children under 6 adult and peer relationships, experience, manage and express a full range of emotions, and explore the environment and learn – all in the context of family, community, and culture (Cohen, Oser & Quigley, 2012, pg. [...] Investing in the mental health of children under 6 Infant and early childhood mental health, sometimes referred to as social and emotional development, is the developing capacity of the child from birth to five years of age to form close and secure adult and peer relationships, experience, manage and express a full range of emotions, and explore the environment and learn – all in the context of fa [...] The authors worked with staff from the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health (the Centre) to gather information, review current literature on infant and early childhood mental health (including mental health frameworks, policy documents and evidence-informed practices provincially, nationally and internationally), and conduct environmental and jurisdictional scans.