Professionals Training Webinars
Monthly Webinar Series
Embark on a journey of professional growth with our monthly webinars, curated for First3Years members and valued guests. These webinars serve as a valuable resource, offering crucial insights and best practices tailored for early childhood professionals dedicated to the well-being of infants, toddlers, and their families. As a member, you gain free access to these enriching sessions, providing you with a unique opportunity to stay abreast of the latest developments in the field. Join our vibrant community and partake in these engaging webinars, designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools essential for fostering optimal development in the youngest members of our society. Elevate your expertise and make a lasting impact with every webinar session.
Pricing
Webinars are FREE for First3Years members.
Non-members may register for $15.
Students may register for $5.
Contact into@first3yearstx.org for a discount code
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Links to Join the Webinar
Links will be on your receipt of registration, as well as e-mailed to you the day before.
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**If you do not see the receipt in your inbox, please check your SPAM/Junk folder.**
Each webinar is broadcast live in Central Standard Time
1 Hour of Continuing Education (SW, LPC, CPE) will be given for each webinar.
2025 Webinar Schedule
Family Engagement – Building Strong Foundations Through Connection
In Quarter 1, we will explore the powerful and complex theme of family engagement, specifically focusing on its critical role in promoting infant mental health and resilience, particularly for families experiencing adversity. Research underscores that the quality of early parent-child relationships—rooted in emotional attunement and consistent engagement—has a profound, lasting impact on a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development. For families navigating difficult circumstances, these relationships are often the most significant protective factors against developmental challenges.
Throughout this quarter, we will look at the foundational science behind these dynamics, examining how emotional presence—the ability of parents to be fully engaged and responsive to their child’s needs—acts as a core determinant of healthy attachment, which in turn supports mental health. We will also consider how daily interactions, even in the midst of hardship, serve as pivotal opportunities for connection and development. Building on attachment theory and recent findings in infant mental health, we will discuss how consistent positive interactions in the context of stress or trauma can help buffer the child’s neurodevelopment and emotional regulation.
In addition to this, we’ll explore the often-overlooked “invisible strings” of infant mental health—the subtle, yet deeply impactful emotional connections that shape a child’s early experiences. Understanding these invisible elements is key, not only for promoting healthy attachment, but also for empowering professionals to guide families toward recognizing and nurturing these connections, even in the face of challenges. We’ll also explore how these insights can guide your work with parents and caregivers to support their emotional resilience, offering concrete, research-driven tools for engaging families in ways that strengthen these early bonds, and ultimately, their child’s well-being.
Each session in this quarter is designed to provide deeper, evidence-based insights into family engagement, offering both practical applications and new ways to look at the emotional complexities at play. This series is not just about reinforcing basic principles—it’s an invitation to explore the nuances of our work and to develop more sophisticated strategies to support families, particularly those facing adversity.
Q1 Webinars
Showing Up: Emotional Presence in Early Parent-Child Relationships
January 27, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Summary: Creating secure, lasting relationships begins with the simple yet profound act of showing up. In this session, we’ll explore how emotional presence in the early years shapes parent-child bonds and lays a foundation for resilience and trust. Recognizing that many parents struggle to show up—perhaps because they themselves weren’t shown up for—we’ll examine how providers can support families in building these vital connections. Through early social-emotional milestones like first smiles, reaching, and eye contact, we’ll introduce ways to guide parents in attuning to their child’s cues and embracing the power of small, meaningful moments. Together, we’ll deepen our approach to family engagement, equipping providers to foster connections that nurture secure, lasting relationships for the next generation.
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Suggested Endorsement Competencies: Infant/Young Child Development & Behavior, Family Relationships & Dynamics, Attachment, Separation, Trauma, Grief and loss, Observation & Listening, Maintaining Perspective, Supporting Others
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The Magic of Play: Simple Moments, Big Connections
February 19, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Summary: In this heart-centered session, we’ll uncover the transformative power of play—not only as a pathway for joy but as a lifeline for learning, trust, and connection between caregivers and their little ones. For infants and toddlers, play is essential—a critical way to understand their world, find comfort, and build security in relationships. Yet for many parents and caregivers, especially when forming new or uncertain bonds, engaging in play can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable. Together, we’ll explore unique and impactful ways to help families go beyond the surface of play, creating moments of shared wonder, discovery, and growth. With these meaningful approaches, providers can guide families in fostering secure, trusting bonds that support healthy development from the very start.
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Suggested Endorsement Competencies: Infant/Young Child Development & Behavior, Family Relationships & Dynamics, Relationship-Focused Practice, Advocacy, Observation & Listening, Responding with Empathy
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​Early Well-Being Esentials: Guiding Families to See the 'Invisible Strings' of Infant Mental Health
March 24, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Summary: In this final session of our quarterly series, we’ll explore how to help families recognize the subtle yet powerful “invisible strings” that early interactions create in their child’s emotional world. Building on themes of emotional availability and play, this training equips providers with practical strategies to make complex concepts in infant mental health feel meaningful and accessible to families. Together, we’ll discover ways to inspire parents and caregivers to see the lasting impact of their presence, guiding them to recognize that these early connections are threads woven into their child’s lifelong resilience and well-being.
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Suggested Endorsement Competencies: Pregnancy and Early Parenthood, Infant/Young Child/Family Centered Practice, Family Relationships & Dynamics, Life Skills, Advocacy, Responding with Empathy, Analyzing Information, Speaking, Curiosity