A system of care supporting the healthy social and emotional development of young children and their families needs to be guided by a set of principles. These principles need to be used to shape public policy, training, service delivery, collaboration, and funding. The guiding principles address the infant and family as well as the system. The following principles have been adopted by WI-AIMH:

• Optimal physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the infant and young child occurs within the context of sensitive and responsible relationships with caregivers, especially the relationship between the parent and the child.

• The infant proceeds through stages of development and evolves from state to stage best when a secure and healthy attachment between the parents and infant is present.  Although the infant's characteristics and reactions contribute significantly to the relationship, the parent carries the major responsibility for facilitating such a secure and healthy attachment.

• Nurturing styles are greatly influence by: a) a parent's experiences with his/her own parents; b) stressors being experienced by a parent; and c) the extent to which a parent is being supported and nurtured, and is able use available supports.

• Involvement of fathers in the care and nurturance of their children, beginning at conception, is recognized as an important factor in healthy development, and merits encouragement and facilitation.

• Family mental health, particularly maternal health, has a significant role in the development of infant emotional well-being.

An optimal system of care supporting healthy social and emotional development incorporates the following:

• Provision of services through activities promoting healthy social and emotional development as well as a system of care that encompasses prevention, early intervention, and targeted development.

• Infant and early childhood mental health services focus on the parent-child relationship.

• Interventions are designed to strengthen the optimal development of the infant and young child, as well as to enhance the emotional well being of the individual family members and the family as a whole.

• Parents are full and meaningful partners in the delivery of infant and early childhood mental health services. Effective services assure that parents' voices are heard and respected.

• Services need to be accessible to the family in the most natural practicable environment.

• All infancy and early childhood professionals recognize that the promotion of healthy social and emotional development requires respect for the differences in cultures, communities, family structures, languages, and individual differences. These differences are honored throughout systems of care and not misunderstood as symptoms or manifestations of problems.

• Infant mental health services will be based on a multidisciplinary perspective and practice that utilizes the expertise of many disciplines combined with principles of infant mental health.

• Service providers need to be supported and nurtured to effectively support and nurture children and families. Effective supervision offers a safe and nurturing environment for reflection upon the work with the children and families and the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

• The message of hope, strengths, and recovery is integrated within all service interactions.