Question

Knowing When to Make a Referral

Supporting the development and learning of young children and their families often requires taking into consideration rapidly changing needs, as well as carefully considering the ongoing impact of environment, culture, and community.

As a child development professional, you may grapple with when to refer a young child and his or her family to infant mental health services. For this Application Assignment, you will develop a checklist and information sheet highlighting factors that need to be considered when determining whether to make a referral to infant mental health services. To prepare for this assignment, review pages 18-22 of Building Strong

Foundations: Practical Guidance for Promoting the Social-Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers, starting with the section "When to Consider Referring a Child for Infant Mental Health Services." Also draw on resources you have read previously in the course when developing your checklist.

Develop a checklist that includes the following:

1. Factors that need to be considered prior to making a referral with regard to each of the following categories:

a. Child factors

b. Environmental factors

c. Family factors

2. An overview of processes you would use to gather information prior to making a referral.

Then, create an information sheet that includes general guidelines with regard to the following:

1. Any special considerations (such as culture, ability, linguistics) that should be taken into account when determining if a referral should be made.

2. Strategies that can be utilized to support the family through the referral process.

Answer 1

Factors that need to be considered prior to making a referral:

Child factors:

How long the child has the current complaint of change in behaviour.

The child is in which developmental stage?

Is the child's behaviour related to health or biological factors influence the change in behaviour

Is the child undergone recent medical check ups?

Any factors influences child's behaviour such as insomnia, perinatal drugs, mode of delivery or allergies related with medications etc

Environmental factors:

Is the child needs any special attention like special foods or accompanying parents with them.

Is the current setting familiar and comfortable for the child?

Is the child change in behaviour triggered by what factors like where, when and what situation.

Is the setting match for temperament of child.

Family factors:

Child's native language

Is the problem related with culture?

Is the relationship between the child and family causing the problem?

Is she witnessed violence from family/ community?

Is the child moved to the family recently?

Is the family has any stressful problems?

Any special considerations (such as culture, ability, linguistics) that should be taken into account when determining if a referral should be made.

Complete details of family, child and their essential information such as address, birth history, cultural factors, familial factors, environmental factors influencing the change in behaviour of child

Parental responsibility of the child?

Any impending or immediate threats to child?

Number of membes in family?

Previous relevant background information and related concerns