Early Brain Development, Long Lasting Effects of Chronic Stress/Neglect, and Bridging the Gaps Across Disciplines: An Introduction to the Neurorelational Framework (NRF)

While the immediate consequences of neglect are often the focus of early interventions, the long-term consequences of neglect are often “neglected” in our service delivery systems. The science of neglect is now revealing that the effects of neglect are both long lasting and cumulative. This workshop explores three long-term consequences of neglect: 1) the damage to the neurobiological development of a healthy stress response system; 2) the deficits in establishing the “serve and return” process of high quality interactions; and 3) the effects both toxic stress and the lack of “serve and return” interactions have on developing brain networks and their influence on developmental delays.

These long-term consequences will be clinically addressed and presented as three clinical steps from the Neurorelational Framework (NRF) that provide an “added value” to any current Evidence-Based Treatment one is using for children ages birth to three. Creating healthy cross-sectored communities using the Neurorelational Framework (NRF) as a transdisciplinary framework that can address child welfare needs from an integrated perspective across domains of medical health, developmental health, mental health, and educational health will be highlighted. A video-based case study of an infant/toddler in the child welfare system will be shown to illustrate this cross-sectored collaboration and treatment.

Learning Objectives:

*To define three long-term consequences of neglect that can span the lifecycle
*To describe three clinical steps that directly address these long-term consequences which provides an “added value” for the treatment of at-risk and high-risk birth to three year olds
*To address both the need and a solution for more integrated and transdiciplinary public health care systems within child welfare communities