IMHP: Hand in Hand Development Support Planning
Photo Credit: Unsplash User Nathaniel Tetteh
Hand in Hand: Growing Together Every Day is a family of resources developed by the Infant Mental Health Promotion (IMHP) to provide activities and tips for caregivers to use to support social and emotional development during the early years, through the creation of a plan that is unique to the child and family. This screening and interim service enhancement model aims to provide caregivers with concrete strategies to support development where a risk for developmental delay has been identified. As well, the handouts they have produced are relevant for work with all children, especially the series of handout sheets for caregivers.
The Hand in Hand: for Caregivers series of one-page handouts provide simple strategies for parents and caregivers to foster secure attachment relationships and to support self-regulation in infants and young children (0-3).
The Social and Emotional Milestones handouts provide an overview of a young child’s typical social and emotional development by age:
The More on Why relationships are important handout looks at key social interaction factors for children in each of the following age bands:
- 3-8 months (6 month ASQ:SE)
- 9-14 months (12 month ASQ:SE)
- 15-20 months (18 month ASQ:SE)
- 21-16 months (24 month ASQ:SE)
- 27-32 months (30 month ASQ:SE)
- 33-41 months (36 month ASQ:SE)
- 42-53 months (48 month ASQ:SE)
- 54-65 months (60 month ASQ:SE)
Supporting Your Child's Social and Emotional Development
These handout charts provide valuable age appropriate strategies (0-3 months/4-6 months/7-12 months/13-18 months/19-24 months/25-36 months) for parents and caregivers to be:
With the comment, “Remember, you are your child’s favorite toy,” a sample Developmental Support Plan is available. Click here to see a Sample Developmental Support Plan covering the following areas:
- Why our relationship matters
- How I understand you and talk to others
- How I move my body
- How I use my hands
- How I explore and figure things out
- How I show feelings and act around others
Each section of the plan looks at: What I can already do/My next goal/How you can help me reach my goal/Why this is important.