A growing body of scientific evidence has shown that social and emotional development begins early in life, is a critical element of brain development, and has enormous consequences over the course of a lifetime.  

Healthy social and emotional development in young children is crucial to healthy development of children into adolescence and adulthood. A wide range of environmental influences, including trauma and stressors, in infancy and early childhood affect a child's later ability to achieve in school and form successful relationships throughout his or her lifetime. 

GCYF explored this issue in a webinar with a nationally recognized expert in the field of mental health problems and traumatic stress responses in infancy and early childhood, including specialty areas such as:

• Attachment disorders

• Parenting problems in the birth-to-five age range

• Treatment outcome research to close the gap in evidence-based treatment for minority young children and their families. 

The goals of this webinar were to explore and discuss the:  

• Environmental and contextual influences on early childhood development, including stress and trauma
  

• Impact of these influences and experiences on emotional, social and health outcomes later in life
  

• Role of caregivers in promoting resiliency

Presenter:

Alicia Lieberman, Ph.D., Irving B. Harris Endowed Chair in Infant Mental Health; Vice Chair, Academic Affairs, University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry; Director, Child Trauma Research Project, San Francisco General Hospital

Respondent:

Phyllis Glink, Executive Director, Irving Harris Foundation

Who Attended:

Grantmakers concerned with children, youth, and families, as well as those interested in children and adolescent mental health and the long-term impact of early experiences.  

Event Materials:

General materials from this event are available below. A recording of this event and additional resources are available to all event participants and GCYF members, free of charge. Please contact info@gcyf.org for more information.

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