ABSTRACT
Infant mental health assessment provides an opportunity to understand the young child’s strengths, needs, and relationships in the context of his/her environment. An infant’s mental health develops based on the connection between parent/caregiver and child. When these early experiences are traumatic, it can have a profound impact on the infant’s development. Comprehensive assessment of early childhood trauma is critical for making appropriate service recommendations and accessing infant mental health treatment. This chapter will identify the core concepts of infant mental health assessment using a trauma-informed lens. The case of Thomas and Carole is presented along with practice tips for conducting a trauma-informed assessment when working with families impacted by trauma.
