Infant Family Reflective Supervisor (IFRS)
Introduction to the NEW category of Endorsement - Fall 2022
For those who have prevention or early intervention experience and provide Reflective Supervision
History
Infant/Early Childhood Family Reflective Supervisor (I/ECFRS) was created in response to feedback that the requirement around reflective supervision (RS) for Infant/Early Childhood Family Specialist (I/ECFS) Endorsement excluded many qualified providers, creating a barrier to accessing and providing RS. When viewed from a diversity, equity and inclusion lens, the requirement perpetuated a system of power and privilege. In response, the Alliance and the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health (as the copyright holder), agreed to assemble a Task Force to re-examine the requirements and make recommendations for a new pathway.
Outcome
I/ECFRS was developed to recognize the work of professionals whose direct service experience both aligns with I/ECFS and includes their expertise of providing RS. Requirements and competencies for this new category are intended to target experience doing prevention/early intervention direct service work and development/use of RS skills.
Because it may take some time for applicants to be able to demonstrate they meet all the requirements for I/ECFRS Endorsement, there is an additional status option called: EMERGING. Emerging is an option for applicants who do not YET meet all of the requirements for I/ECFRS Endorsement but who are well on their way. It allows these applicants to begin providing qualifying hours of RSC to I/ECFS and I/ECFRS endorsees and applicants while they obtain the qualifications, experience, and support to build required competence and further develop expertise. See requirements below.
Implementation & Evaluation
The Task Force proposed that I/ECFRS be piloted before a broad launch. It was piloted with applicants from the Association for Infant Mental Health in Tennessee (AIMHiTN) this summer. Through the pilot experience, applicant documents were created and the EASy application was improved for the benefit of the user. This allowed us to move forward and open I/ECFRS for all associations who use the Endorsement credential on September 30. Each association has oversight of how I/ECRS is offered and sets their own deadlines for application submission.
The Task Force also recommended that an evaluation plan be created to do the following: 1. Determine if the recommendations from the Task Force successfully reduce barriers to providing/receiving RS; 2. Determine whether individuals are receiving supportive/quality RS; 3. Identify unforeseen barriers to associations. An evaluation team was assembled and they created processes for gathering this data over the next 3-years.
This new category will be added to the Competency Guidelines during the next revision (estimated 2023).
Infant Family Reflective Supervisor (IFRS) Requirements
Education Experience
N/A
Work Experience
Minimum 2-years paid, professional work experience providing prevention and/or early intervention services that promote IMH. Work experience meets this criterion as long as the applicant has:
Part 1:
* Served a minimum of 10 families where the target of services is an infant/toddler (birth to 36 months), and
* A primary focus of the services provided is the social-emotional needs of the infant/toddler, and
* Services focus on the promotion of the relationships surrounding the infant/toddler.
Part 2: (*not required for emerging)
Minimum 1-year providing IMH reflective supervision/consultation.
RSC Experience
Part 1:
Received: Minimum 24 clock hours within a minimum 12-month to maximum 24-month time-frame, relationship-based, reflective supervision/consultation (RSC), individually or in a group while:
* providing (or providing supervision to staff who are providing*) services to infants, young children (birth to 36 months), and families and/or
* providing (or providing supervision to staff who are providing*) mental health consultation services* (birth to 36 months) through a relational lens with a focus on social emotional development.
Part 2: (*not required for emerging)
Received: Minimum 12 clock hours within a minimum 12-month to maximum 24-month timeframe, relationship-based RSC while providing IMH RSC to others; the RSC will be about the RSC the applicant provides to others. It is possible that these hours were received as part of fulfilling Part 1, but it is not required, meaning these hours may have been received in addition to the 24 hours of RSC about your direct service work.
The Applicant’s provider of RSC must have earned/maintained IFRS or IMHM-Clinical Endorsement.
In-service Training Experience
-
Minimum of 48 hours required
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30-hours of training specific to promotion of social-emotional development and the relationship/based principles of IMH
-
15-hours of training specific to the provision of RSC
-
3-hours of training specific to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in IMH
Reference Ratings
Total of three professional reference rating from:
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One from current program supervisor
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One from person providing reflective supervision/consultation (RSC)
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One from a person receiving/ed reflective supervision/consultation (RSC) from an applicant. (*Alternative for emerging: can can come from a colleague, or a parent/recipient of services (paid or volunteer), teacher, CDA mentor, Board member.)
Leadership Experience
A minimum of 1-year of leadership activities/experiences at the local, regional or state level (specific to work with or on behalf of pregnant people and/or 0 up to 36 month-olds). This may include supervisory or mentorship of 0-3 professionals (paid or unpaid).
Written Exam
N/A