USING A CHILD'S SELF-STATEMENT TO SUPPORT INCLUSION

BY JEAN BUDD, LPC, NCC, IMH E® AND CORINNE G. CATALANO, PH.D., IMH E®

In 2002 and again in March 2022, Exceptional Parent Magazine published the article, A Child's Self-statement: Who Am I? (reader.mediawiremobile.com/epmagazine/issues/207743/viewer?page=24) In the article, the authors explained how they wrote a profile from a child's perspective, to communicate information regarding that child, and promote a deeper understanding of that child by other people in that child's life. A template was provided to guide parents/caregivers, educators, and therapists to work together as a team to write the child's profile. In this article, we use a case example of how the process of writing a child's self-statement profile was used by a team as part of a system of support, to foster a positive emotional connection between a preschooler and his early childhood teacher. The goal was to invite the parent to become part of the team and to build the teacher's sense of competence in working with this child so that the child could remain included in the general education classroom.

CREATING A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT

Early Relational Health is the state of emotional well-being that grows from the positive emotional connection between young children and their parents/caregivers when they experience strong, positive, and nurturing relationships with each other. This emotional well-being is foundational, not only to children's healthy growth and development, but also to their parents'/caregivers'

sense of competence, connection, and overall well-being (Center for the Study of Social Policy, 2022). For some children and their families, achieving a state of emotional well-being is very difficult due to stress from both within and outside their bodies and homes.

One way to help children and families is for consultation to be provided by professionals with formal preparation in children's mental health and experience specifically working with young children and their families. This type of consultation, known as Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC), builds capacity for systems, as well as individuals, to understand the powerful influence of parents', caregivers' and educators' relationships and interactions on young children's development (Center of Excellence for IECMHC, 2020). The Montclair State University Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health provides this type of consultation for childcare centers throughout New Jersey. One tool used by these consultants, is a profile written about a child by the people in the child's life who know the child best. This involves creating a collaborative team that includes the child's parent(s) or caregivers, the child's teacher in the childcare classroom, and in some cases, any therapists who might be working with a child who is receiving these services. The IECMH consultant facilitates the process with the goal of helping everyone to have a shared understanding of the child's strengths, challenges, and needs.