Infant Family Specialist Competency Guidelines
Area of Expertise: Theoretical Foundations
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Pregnancy & early parenthood
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Infant/very young child development & behavior
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Infant/very young child & family-centered practice
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Relationship-focused, therapeutic practice
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Family relationships & dynamics
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Attachment, separation, trauma, grief, & loss
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Disorders of infancy/early childhood
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Cultural competence
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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During observations and assessments, identifies emerging competencies of the infant and very young child within a relationship context
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Supports and reinforces parent’s capacity to seek appropriate care during pregnancy
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Supports and reinforces each parent’s strengths, emerging parenting competencies, and positive parent-infant/very young child interactions and relationships
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Helps parents to:
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"See" the infant/very young child as a person, as well as all the factors (playing, holding, teaching, etc) that constitute effective parenting of that child
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Derive pleasure from daily activities with their children
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Shares with families realistic expectations for the development of their infants/very young children and strategies that support those expectations
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Demonstrates familiarity with conditions that optimize early infant brain development
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Recognizes risks and disorders of infancy/early childhood conditions that require the assistance of other professionals from health, mental health, education, and child welfare systems
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Shares with families an understanding and appreciation of family relationship development
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Applies understanding of cultural competence to communicate effectively, establish positive relationships with families, and demonstrate respect for the uniqueness of each client family’s culture
Area Of Expertise: Law, Regulation, & Agency Policy
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Ethical practice
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Government, law, & regulation
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Agency policy
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Exchanges complete and unbiased information in a supportive manner with families and other team members
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Practices confidentiality of each family’s information in all contexts with exception only when making necessary reports to protect the safety of a family member (eg, Children’s Protective Services, Duty to Warn)
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Maintains appropriate personal boundaries with infants/very young children and families served, as established by the employing agency
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Promptly and appropriately reports harm or threatened harm to a child's health or welfare to Children’s Protective Services
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Accurately and clearly explains the provisions and requirements of federal, state, and local laws affecting infants/very young children and families (eg, Part C of IDEA, child protection, child care licensing rules and regulations) to families and other service providers working with the family
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Shares information with non-citizen families and service agencies about the rights of citizen children of non-citizen parents
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Personally works within the requirements of:
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Federal and state law
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Agency policies and practices
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Professional code of conduct
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Area of Expertise: Systems Expertise
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Service delivery systems
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Community resources
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Assists families to anticipate, obtain, and advocate for concrete needs and other services from public agencies and community resources
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Actively seeks resources to address infant/very young child and family needs
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Works collaboratively with and makes referrals to other service agencies to ensure that the child(ren) and family receive services for which they are eligible and that the services are coordinated
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Helps parents build the skills they need to access social support from extended family, neighbors, and friends needed and as available in the community
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Makes families and service providers/agencies aware of community resources available to families
Area Of Expertise: Direct Service Skills
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Observation & listening
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Screening & assessment
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Responding with empathy
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Advocacy
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Life skills
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Safety
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Establishes trusting relationship that supports the parent(s) and infant/very young child in their relationship with each other, and that facilitates needed change
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Provides services to children and families with multiple, complex risk factors
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Formally and informally observes the parent(s) or caregiver(s) and infant/very young child to understand the nature of their relationship, developmental strengths, and capacities for change
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Conducts formal and informal assessments of infant/very young child development, in accordance with established practice
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Effectively implements relationship-focused, therapeutic parent-infant/very young child interventions that enhance the capacities of parents and infants/very young children
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Provides information and assistance to parents/or caregivers to help them:
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Understand their role in the social and emotional development of infants/very young children
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Understand what they can do to promote health, language, and cognitive development in infancy and early childhood
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Find pleasure in caring for their infants/very young children
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Nurtures the parents' relationship with each other, if one exists; alternatively, helps the custodial parent manage appropriate contact with the non-custodial parent
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Promotes parental competence in:
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Facing challenges
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Advocating on behalf of themselves and their children
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Resolving crises and reducing the likelihood of future crises
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Solving problems of basic needs and familial conflict
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Advocates for services needed by children and families with the supervisor, agencies, and programs
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Recognizes environmental and caregiving risks to the health and safety of the infant/very young child and parents, and takes appropriate action
Area of Expertise: Working With Others
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Building & maintaining relationships
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Supporting others/mentoring
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Collaborating
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Resolving conflict
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Empathy & compassion
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Builds and maintains effective interpersonal relationships with families and professional colleagues by:
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Respecting and promoting the decision-making authority of families
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Understanding and respecting the beliefs and practices of the family's culture
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Following the parents’ lead
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Following through consistently on commitments and promises
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Providing regular communications and updates
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Works with and responds to families and colleagues in a tactful and understanding manner
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Provides positive, specific feedback to encourage and reinforce desired behaviors and interactions in families
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Assists families to develop the skills they need to become their own advocates
Models appropriate behavior and interventions for new staff as they observe home visits -
Encourages parents to share with other parents (eg, through nurturing programs, parent-child interaction groups)
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Collaborates and shares information with staff of child care, foster care, community-based programs, and other service agencies to ensure effective, coordinated services
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Works constructively to find “win-win” solutions to conflicts with colleagues (eg, interagency, peer-peer, and/or supervisor-supervisee conflicts)
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Provides emotional support to parents/caregivers and children when sad, distressed, etc
Area of Expertise: Communicating
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Listening
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Speaking
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Writing
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Actively listens to others; asks questions for clarification
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Uses appropriate non-verbal behavior and correctly interprets others’ non-verbal behavior
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Communicates honestly, sensitively, and empathetically with families, using non-technical language
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Obtains translation services as necessary to ensure effective communication with families who may experience a communication barrier
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Writes clearly, concisely, and with the appropriate style (business, conversational, etc) in creating notes, reports, and correspondence
Area of Expertise: Thinking
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Analyzing information
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Solving problems
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Exercising sound judgment
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Maintaining perspective
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Planning & organizing
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Sees and can explain the “big picture” when analyzing situations
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Sees and can explain the interactions of multiple factors & perspectives
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Assigns priorities to needs, goals, and actions
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Considers difficult situations carefully
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Evaluates alternatives prior to making decisions
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Integrates all available information and consults with others when making important decisions
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Generates new insights and workable solutions to issues related to effective relationship-focused, family-centered care
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Defines, creates a sequence for, and prioritizes tasks necessary to perform role and meet the needs of families
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Employs effective systems for tracking individual progress, ensuring follow up, and monitoring the effectiveness of service delivery as a whole
Area of Expertise: Reflection
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Contemplation
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Self-awareness
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Curiosity
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Professional/personal development
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Emotional response
Knowledge Areas
As Demonstrated By
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Regularly examines own thoughts, feelings, strengths, and growth areas; discusses issues, concerns, actions to take with supervisor, consultants, or peers
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Consults regularly with supervisor, consultants, peers to understand own capacities and needs, as well as the capacities and needs of families
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Seeks a high degree of agreement between self-perceptions and the way others perceive him/her
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Remains open and curious
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Identifies and participates in learning activities related to the promotion of infant mental health
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Keeps up-to-date on current and future trends in child development and relationship-focused practice
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Uses reflective practice throughout work with infants/very young children and families to understand own emotional response to infant/family work and recognize areas for professional and/or personal development