Reducing Stress
Share this brochure with parents and staff to provide some easy-to-use stress reduction and self-care tips.
Mental Health
Head Start programs support the mental health of children, families, and staff every day. Early childhood mental health is the same as social and emotional well-being. It is a child’s developing capacity to express and regulate emotions, form trusting relationships, explore, and learn—all in the cultural context of family and community. The mental health of children and the adults that care for them is essential for school readiness.
Understanding Children's Behavior as Communication
Explore ways early childhood staff can partner with families to understand and respond to children's behavior as communication. Find strategies for working with families of children ages birth to 5.
Addressing Substance Misuse Among Pregnant Women
This interactive activity will give home visitors a chance to walk through a home visit. Explore how to talk to an expectant family about substance misuse, including opioids.
What Is Motivational Interviewing?
Learn more about motivational interviewing and how it can benefit Head Start programs.
Mental Health: Health Tips for Families
This fact sheet includes tips families can use to help their children develop positive mental health beginning in infancy.
Mental Health Consultation in Your Program
Find resources that help programs make the most of their infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) services.
1302.45 Supports for mental health and well-being.
Head Start programs must use a multidisciplinary approach to support a program-wide culture that promotes children’s mental health, social and emotional well-being, and overall health and safety.
Helping Your Child Cope After a Disaster
After a disaster or crisis, children benefit when adults assure them that they are safe and help them learn how to cope effectively. In this tip sheet, learn what to do to help a child after a disaster or crisis.
5 Action Steps to Address Maternal Depression in Head Start Programs
While roughly 15% of new mothers suffer from maternal depression, the rates are much higher in families with lower incomes. In fact, 52% of mothers in an Early Head Start research study reported high levels of depressive symptoms.
Choose and Use Guide for Finding Social-Emotional Programs for Parents
Head Start programs are increasingly involved in efforts to assist adult family members in gaining parenting skills that can both promote positive social-emotional development and prevent challenging behaviors. In recent years, a number of formal parenting curricula have been developed and researched. We have identified five such programs with promising effects.