Counselors’ Knowledge of Serving the Birth to Six Population

Abstract

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) is a culturally informed, relationally focused area of clinical expertise which addresses the social–emotional needs of very young children and their families. IECMH addresses a critical need and, because of the nuances of the population, requires specific knowledge and skills. Although counselors are often providers of this type of clinical work, very little training exists in counselor education programs, leaving counselors to possibly work outside of scope of competence. This article explores the knowledge and experiences of counselors’ with IECMH. The results of a quantitative survey will be addressed, along with implications and recommendations for counselor education programs and professional counselors to further their knowledge on IECMH.