Who Is This Child?

In this workshop we will become familiar with some of the earliest influences on the course of a child's life – temperament and early environment (both before and after birth). The effects of these influences can be seen in later childhood and adolescence, especially in children who have experienced poor parenting, family instability and trauma.

Each child is unique and has his/her own way of relating to others and reacting to life events. In this workshop, participants learn about a very important aspect of children that we often neglect in our attempts to understand them and their needs – temperament. An individual's temperament stays more or less consistent from infancy onwards and greatly affects how he/she reacts, learns, relates and copes. Sometimes children are not a good "fit" with their families, especially when their families are foster or adoptive. Many of the problems (e.g., hyperactivity, underachievement, disobedience, etc.) that we struggle to understand and control in children are often a reflection of their temperament and ways in which it conflicts with the demands of the environment.

The environment within the mother's womb is a critical influence on a fetus' healthy development. Lack of prenatal care, stressful experiences, maternal health and emotional wellbeing, genetic factors…. We will learn how some of these influences show up in the lives of children and families you work with.

You will learn how to use a questionnaire designed to gather information about early environment and learn to identify circumstances that warrant further evaluation and possible treatment. You will learn how to communicate this information to medical and educational professionals and advocate for the children in your charge.

In this workshop participants will:

• Become familiar with the concept of temperament, understand its practical application and learn how to use this concept in their work with children and families.
• Learn about critical factors in the early environment (before and after birth) that influence the lives of children
• Learn how to gather important developmental data
• Recognize signs of temperamental and early environment influences in older children
• Learn how to seek consultation when needed

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