| Description |
Family support is crucial to the EHDI system of care.? The way in which early intervention professionals engage with families during the screening, diagnostic and subsequent post-diagnosis period can have an immeasurable impact on family acceptance, resilience, and capacity to support their child's development and well-being. Providers often wonder, “What can I or should I be doing with a baby that is otherwise a typically developing 6 week old?” or “How can I help families make decisions and follow-through?” Sometimes we provide information and resources; provide communication or technology coaching; “assess and monitor” the child for delay. Sometimes, what can be most supportive is holding space by co-creating a safe atmosphere and relationship where families can be honest and congruent in their experience.
Providers often enter the relationship with inherent underlying biases, requiring us to be more mindful when families demonstrate behaviors or decisions that appear contrary to our professional expertise. How we navigate power in relationships, reflect on our own ego, and give guidance and information are essential in supporting parent-child relationships as we empower families to take steps in supporting the development of their child and the well-being of their family system. Together we will explore Trauma Informed Care principles and the 8 principles of holding space in the EHDI context, while practicing important skills required to hold space for families as they navigate their own journey.
The instructional content, along with the diverse interdisciplinary instructional team (Audiologist, Interventionist/Counselor, and Parent/Counselor) will enable participants to bridge EHDI services with infant and family mental health. Experiential learning activities paired with each principle will encourage skill-building in the practice of knowing and supporting ourselves so that we can better support families so that they can support their child. ??
Participants must watch 2 pre-recorded webinars before they can attend the live in person day long hands on session, each webinar is 60 minutes in length.
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