Why should Early Head Start be concerned with mental health?
Early emotional development, the parent-child relationship in particular, set the stage for a child’s exploration and readiness to learn. From the first moments of life, infants begin to develop notions about themselves and the world within the context of relationships. A number of family factors can pose challenges to the development of supportive parent-child relationships. These challenges can put the child at risk for developing social-emotional and learning difficulties. Such factors include biological characteristics of the child and parental mental health issues, domestic violence, lack of social supports, homelessness, and stress associated with poverty. Responsive and supportive early childhood settings, like Early Head Start, can play a critical role in supporting healthy development of the parent-child relationship and promoting the emotional health of children. If problems do arise over time, program staff have the necessary relationships with families to provide or coordin
