Videos: Build Your Knowledge

• Video 1: An Important but Sensitive Topic
  Just as we nurture children’s physical health, we must also care for their mental health. 
  
  But even experienced early childhood professionals may not understand social-emotional development and how it supports children’s mental health.  

  
  This video covers: 

  • What social-emotional development is and how it relates to mental health
  • Social-emotional skills and how children develop them
  • How social-emotional development supports overall health and well-being 

  
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.
   
• Video 2: The Foundations of Mental Health
  For children to develop strong mental health, they need loving and secure relationships. They also need positive, safe and predictable experiences both at home and in child care or educational settings. 
  
  Children’s brains develop rapidly during the first few years. For that reason, it’s a time of great sensitivity. When children face chronic stress like abuse, neglect, community violence or substance abuse by a caregiver, their mental health can suffer. 

  
  This video covers: 

  • How mental health supports children’s long-term success 
  • Risk factors that can harm children’s mental health 
  • Importance of acting early to address mental health issues 

  
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.
  
   
• Video 3: Tips for Professionals
  Early childhood professionals play an important role in supporting children’s healthy social-emotional development.
  
  This includes actively supporting the social-emotional learning of the children in early childhood programs. It also means talking to families about the importance of social-emotional development and how to support it at home.

  
  This video covers:

  • Specific ways to support social-emotional development
  • Role of relationships in teaching children social-emotional skills
  • How healthy social-emotional development can reduce challenging behavior
  • How to model social-emotional skills for children

   
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.
• Video 4: Communication Toolkit
  To support communication to parents and caregivers about social-emotional development, there are a variety of free tools and materials in this section for early childhood professionals to use. 
  
  These materials can be customized by early childhood organizations and used by professionals in Colorado to support outreach to families.

  
  This video covers: 

  • Resources available in English and Spanish to support outreach: 
    • Printed materials for parents and caregivers of children age 0-8 
    • Social media content for Facebook and Twitter 
    • Posters to display in public spaces that children and families visit
    • Fact sheet for policymakers and public officials 

  
  All communications resources are available online for you to download. 
  
  There are different folders for each of the materials. Instructions to customize the materials are included in the folders. 
  
  If you have questions about the social-emotional development communications toolkit, please contact Heather Craiglow at Heather.Craiglow@state.co.us.
  
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.
• Video 5: Conversations About Children’s Mental Health
  Stigma can get in the way when talking about mental health. When the discussion is about children’s mental health, the topic can be even more sensitive.  
  
  People from different cultures and backgrounds may have different perceptions about mental health. It’s important for professionals to keep in mind these differences when they talk with all families about mental health. 

  
  This video covers: 

  • Ways to minimize stigma and remove communication barriers 
  • How to engage all families and appreciate perspectives on mental health from diverse cultures
  • Tips when making a referral*

  
  *If you would like help to make a more effective referral, there are resources to support you. Contact the Office of Early Childhood and request to speak to the Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists Program Manager, at 303.866.5948 or 1.800.799.5876 or cdhs_oec_communications@state.co.us. 
  
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.
• Video 6: Key Messages for Parents and Caregivers
  When talking about mental health, stigma – the fear of being labeled or excluded – may prevent families from talking openly, even if they have a concern. 
  
  As early childhood professionals, it’s important to help parents build their understanding of social-emotional development and make it comfortable to reach out for help if they have a concern. In this way, professionals decrease the impact of stigma. 

  
   

  This video covers: 

  • Messages to use in conversations with families that help: 
    • Build understanding of the importance of social-emotional development
    • Decrease stigma by normalizing mental health

  
  Want to have more effective conversations with families? This one-pager includes effective messages that will help professionals decrease stigma and build greater understanding of social-emotional development. 
  
  The videos are available to view online, or you can download and save the videos in order to view them offline.