Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health

with Children's Service Society of Wisconsin

About Infant Mental Health

What do we really mean by Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health?

Infant Mental Health (IMH) is synonymous with social and emotional development in our youngest children. Social and emotional development involves skills such as self confidence, curiosity, motivation, persistence, self control, and trust--all of which affect future learning, growth, and success. The development of all of these traits begins in infancy and within the context of relationships. Emotional and social milestones include a child's ability to experience, regulate and express emotions, and form close and secure interpersonal relationships. A child's capacities to identify their own feelings, experience empathy for another and constructively manage strong emotions are skills that begin in early childhood and support later learning.

Why care about Social and Emotional development?

The early preschool years are a critical time for skill formation and lay the foundation for future success in school and beyond.  Practice-based evidence and scientific research have demonstrated the importance of early experiences as well as the interactions between genetics and environment.

Over the last twenty-five years we have gained a greater understanding about what can hinder and what can promote healthy social and emotional development.  Children who are unable to attain early social and emotional milestones do not do well in early school years.  Research indicates that children who start behind tend to stay behind.  These children are at a higher risk for school problems and juvenile delinquency.  Research and experiential knowledge from the field of infant and early childhood mental health confirm that a child's emotional development forms the foundation for all later development and sets the stage for relationships and readiness to learn.  Research also indicates that children participating in "enriched early childhood programs are more likely to complete school, and much less likely to require welfare benefits, become teen parents, or participate in criminal activities.  Rather, they become productive adults."  (Heckman, James:  Ounce of Prevention, 2000, Chicago, Illinois)

Wisconsin ALLIANCE FOR infant Mental Health

133 south butler street, Suite 340 • madison, wisconsin  53703

Last Updated July 17, 2008