Developmental psychology counselling, promotion of parental sensitivity, bonding, parent-child relationship

Developmental Psychological Counselling, Therapy and Further Education e. V.

Institute Childhood and Development

EPB for prevention and early intervention

Developmental Psychological Counselling (EPC) is an offer to promote parental sensitivity in early childhood. It helps to build a successful parent-child relationship and a secure emotional bond with the child. A secure emotional bond is an essential protective factor for later stressful situations and coping with them. EPB prevents developmental and behavioural problems.

EPB for families with infants and toddlers

EPB is aimed equally at families with an interest in developmental psychology, insecure and stressed parents, families with babies and toddlers in special life situations (e.g. premature babies, babies with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses, children of adolescent or mentally ill parents) and families with whom youth welfare services are already in contact as part of inpatient or outpatient support.

Counselling families with EPB

The child is at the centre of all phases of counselling. Parents learn more about the development of infants and toddlers and observe the abilities and strengths of their own child. The family is viewed holistically and the needs of both the parents and the child are taken into account and brought together in the counselling. This strengthens the parents in their role as parents. The central diagnostic and therapeutic tool is video analysis and video feedback. The counselling takes place in the presence of the infant or toddler and thus enables the immediate testing of what has been learnt from the video.

Areas of application of the EPB

EPB can be used in various fields of work. These include, for example, early intervention, pregnancy counselling, socio-pedagogical family support and early help.

Aim of the EPB training programme

Participants learn to competently observe and advise parents with infants and toddlers and to develop strategies for action together with the parents. In this way, they promote positive parent-child interaction and parental sensitivity.

Target group and duration of the EPB training programme

The target group for EPB training are employees of institutions and freelance professionals who work with families with infants and young children, e.g. (family) midwives, (family) paediatric nurses, psychologists, educators, therapists and doctors.

The EPB further training programme comprises 16 course days (4 x 4 days) with 128 teaching units and covers a total period of approx. 1 year.

Contents of the EPB training programme

Theoretical foundations: EPB combines the promotion of sensitive parental behaviour based on attachment theory with the specific teaching of

expression, stress and coping behaviour of infants and toddlers. Other topics include regulatory disorders in early childhood, early help and child protection, children of mentally ill parents, children with special burdens such as prematurity, chronic illnesses and disabilities.

Transfer into practice through case studies: Using case studies, participants learn methods for observing behaviour (video recording, video evaluation and video feedback) and the developmental psychological counselling of the family based on this.

Working on and supervising their own cases together: Between the 4 training blocks, participants work with 3 families from their everyday practice. As part of the training, they are intensively supervised in and with the training group so that they increasingly develop skills in independent video-supported developmental psychological counselling.

Pillhofer, M., Spangler, G., Bovenschen, I., Künster, A.K., Gabler, S., Fallon, B., Fegert, J.M., & Ziegenhain, U. (2015). Pilot study of a program delivered within the regular service system in Germany: Effect of a short-term attachment-based intervention on maternal sensitivity in mothers at risk for child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 42, 163-173.

EPBTW e. V.: info@epb-verein.de

Institute Childhood and Development: info@institut-ke.de

Secretariat KJPP: forschungshaus.kjp@uniklinik-ulm.de