SEPTEMBER 8: INFANT & EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
Welcome to the 5 Things Digest from the NTTAC Infant and Early Childhood Transformation Team, bringing you 5 Things to know right now about equity in infant and early childhood mental health.  
#1: Inequality starts early.

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to shine a light on widening equity gaps that many infants, babies, toddlers, and their families experience. This is even more pronounced for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Recent data has shown that inequalities for infants and toddlers have increased since the start of the pandemic in areas such as regular pediatrician visits, maternal mental health, and food insecurity.
#2: Implicit bias in early childhood education has lasting effects.

The messages that infants, toddlers, and young children receive through early experiences impacts their brain development. Implicit bias has been studied in early education and care settings with a direct link to preschool expulsion. Preschoolers ages 3 and 4 are expelled at a rate that is three times that of K-12 children combined. Black preschoolers are more than 2 times as likely as white preschoolers to be expelled and boys are 4 times as likely as girls to be expelled from preschool (Gilliam, W., 2017). Recognizing that implicit bias exists in early childhood systems of care and can have lasting effects is an essential step to moving towards actionable change in these same systems.
#3: Support creating anti-racist early childhood spaces.

Creating anti-racist early childhood spaces goes much deeper than having books, toys, and images of representation in spaces and environments that young children spend time in. To create and sustain anti-racist approaches, practices, and spaces, those working within early childhood systems must first learn and examine the racialized history of programs that serve young children. There must also be recognition that racism is occurring in programs that serve the early childhood population. Commitment to creating anti-racist early childhood environments means actively acknowledging inequities in systems and teaching about racism while inviting children to discuss race, racism, and inequality. Finally, those working in early childhood systems, programs, and spaces must commit to become anti-racist. To learn more, check out the first resource in this list, from NAEYC.
#4: Racial equity is a key component of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.

The Georgetown Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) has launched a new toolkit for IECMHC providers. The Racial Equity toolkit is a collection of videos, tools, and resources that can support IECMHC systems, leaders, and practitioners in building capacity in understanding race, systemic racism, bias, and culturally responsive practices. Access it through the link below!
#5: Talk to young children about race.

When talking to young children and very young children about race it is important to hold that in these early years the developmental understanding of race and difference will shift markedly depending on where a child is developmentally. Research shows us at birth, babies look equally at faces of all races. By three months old, babies look more at the faces that match the race of their caregiver (Kelly et al. 2005). Starting conversation about race and difference from infancy is a must. Learn more about how to talk to very young children about race through the links below.
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This announcement is supported by SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award over five years (2020-2025) with 100 percent funded by SAMHSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by SAMHSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.