Interventions for 0 to 5s
| Module title | Interventions for 0 to 5s |
|---|---|
| Module code | PYCM145 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Ann Hockaday (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 8 | 9 | 5 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
Focus on intervention, with some shared content on common principles, and specialist elements for trainees on the parent–infant pathway and the early childhood pathway, with each respectively utilising Video Interaction Guidance and evidence-based intervention for behavioural management.
The aim of this module is to provide trainee Infant and Early Years Practitioners with core knowledge and skills for intervening to support families with infants and young children. After completing common training on general principles of good practice (key knowledge theory and frameworks; assessment and formulation), trainees will focus in depth on interventions that are central to their chosen pathway (the parent–infant pathway or the early childhood pathway). Trainees in each pathway will, in addition, complete training in an evidence-based intervention. Specific competencies with regulatory difficulties in infancy and early childhood (sleep problems, toileting issues, feeding or eating issues) will be developed through the use of a social learning theory-based intervention for all trainees.
Workshops in this module will provide you with the ability to adopt an overall mentalising stance with parents/carers that holds the caregiver’s and infant’s/child’s voice in mind and embeds assessment and therapeutic interventions in an empathic, emotionally validating, and supportive relationship. This will include the ability to engage a caregiver and infant/child in therapeutic assessment and/or treatment, develop shared goals, co-construct an intervention with caregivers, making sure the intervention is paced correctly for the child and family to meet their goals, and collaboratively discussing any concerns or challenges. Furthermore, skills in structuring sessions, making onward referrals, using supervision, and recognising when further specialist support is needed will be developed.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module aims for you to:?
- Obtain a critical knowledge and understanding of regulatory difficulties (sleep problems, toileting issues, feeding or eating issues).
- Social and emotional difficulties (e.g. general anxiety, specific fears, separation anxiety, and stressor related adjustment).
- Develop critical knowledge and understanding of evidence-based interventions for infants and early years children
- Develop practical skills and competencies of interventions with parents of infants and early years children
- Develop critical knowledge of the theoretical and research literature underpinning behavioural, regulatory, social and emotional difficulties, and attachment.?
The module further aims for you to have a critical understanding of:?
Regulatory Difficulties
- The ability to explore family and cultural beliefs around co-sleeping and independent sleeping, toileting, and mealtimes along with considerations of children’s age, development stage and needs, and the ability to explore parents’ expectations and concerns.
- Exploring sources of stress in parents associated with their children’s sleep and helping parents to anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- The ability to support parents, where indicated, to use a sleep diary to monitor sleep patterns and progress.
- The ability to support parents in developing an individualised bedtime routine, reducing stimulation, and promoting relaxation and soothing, and a sleep programme (for example, a gradual reduction in parental presence once a child has been put to bed, and a graded transition to falling asleep alone).
- The ability to use core principles of behavioural interventions to support the learning of healthy sleeping habits, focusing on the establishment of helpful routines and the encouragement and gradual shaping of children’s behaviour through social or other appropriate rewards (for example, praise, stickers, star charts) in small steps.
- The ability to explore sources of stress in parents associated with their child’s toileting, and to help parents anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- The ability to explain principles of social learning such as graded exposure and chaining, according to the evidence base. For example, potty- or toilet-sitting might be a crucial intermediate step in learning to use the toilet, but children need to show signs of developmental readiness for this task and parents may need support to know whether their child is ready or not. Using basic narrative approaches such as ’Sneaky poo’ and ‘Poo goes to Pooland’ for children struggling with toilet training, and using praise or appropriate and acceptable rewards to support children who need additional motivation to use the potty or toilet.
- The ability to explain to caregivers how common-sense approaches can lead to unintended negative consequences when attempting to encourage healthy eating. For example, rewards for eating more, or the imperative to finish all the food on a plate, can lead to children eating more than they want or need; telling children certain foods are healthy can decrease acceptance; restriction of high-calorie foods can heighten a child’s preference for them; increased attention to eating can reinforce food avoidance or tantrums.
- The ability to support parents to explore their own approaches to eating, their values, and what eating means in their culture and family system. To recognise when they are expecting too much/too little of their children – for example, knowing how long their young child can sit at a table before needing to get down and play or run around, and how to respond when children reject or throw food.
- The ability to explore sources of stress in parents associated with their children’s eating, and to help parents anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- Explaining to parents/carers how repeated exposure to novel foods increases children’s openness and exploration with food, and how playing and experimenting with food can help broaden toddlers’ and young children’s preferences.
- The ability to help parents/carers understand the role of physical health conditions and the impact of traumatic experiences (for example, gastrointestinal surgery, nasogastric tubes in the case of feeding difficulties), learning disability, temperament and other pre-existing factors that might increase the likelihood of difficulties developing, as appropriate.
- Signposting caregivers to, and supporting the use of, evidence-based written guidelines or psychoeducational groups.
- The ability to make appropriate referrals where the difficulties are complex (for example, difficulties associated with trauma or a chronic medical or developmental condition).
Parent-infant Pathway
- Ability to assess the suitability of the dyad for video feedback intervention.
- Ability to explain the principles and general procedures of video feedback to parents/carers responsible for informed consent to treatment.
- Ability to set up filming sessions in a way that maximises the likelihood of attuned interaction between the infant/young child and caregiver in accordance with the family’s goals or concerns; micro-analysis of video clips in order to facilitate the intervention; delivery of sessions where the video is jointly reviewed by the parent and clinician to develop a new understanding of attuned interactions from the perspective of the infant/child.
- Ability to build a supportive, therapeutic relationship with caregivers and consistently model sensitivity.
- Ability to observe and describe infant cues, signals, and responses.
- Ability to recognise cues from the infant/young child, to interpret the child’s behaviour based on the cues, and to support parents/carers to learn to recognise these cues for themselves.
- Demonstrating a capacity to maintain a stance of curiosity and bi-directional empathy towards the parent/carer and child.
- Ability to recognise, describe and support the parents’/carers’ sensitive responses to the infant/young child (through video feedback)
- Ability to build on parents’/carers’ strengths by recognising positive moments and sensitive behaviour, however subtle, promoting parents’/carers’ self-confidence, and showing them where they could use further sensitive responses.
- Ability to use supervision to support the learning and delivery of video feedback.
- Ability to deliver a video feedback intervention (either VIPP or VIG) to support caregiver sensitivity.
- Ability to sensitively use video feedback for different case scenarios (for example, couples, the use of an interpreter, twins).
- Ability to use clinical measurement to monitor the video feedback process and outcomes.
Early Childhood Pathway
- Conduct parenting groups for behaviours that caregivers find challenging, including pre-group assessments, use ROMS, including child measures (for example, SDQ 2–4) and adult mental health measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7), set goals and assess suitability for a group intervention. Screen for and identify adult mental health needs, risk and safeguarding issues that might require additional support, signposting, or referral to a more suitable service.
- The ability to weigh up the pros and cons of an individual approach and to assess which caregivers are likely to do better with such an approach, including consideration of caregiver shyness, the severity of adult mental health problems that might make joining a group or going at group pace difficult, and the ability to attend at group times.
- The ability to deliver an evidence-based parenting group, for example an Incredible Years parenting group, or individual parent work supporting behaviour management including managing the practicalities of running a group, completing appropriate paperwork and mailings, preparing for sessions, managing session content, and timing, and supporting parents to express their views and work collaboratively.
- The ability to sensitively relate to and empathise with caregivers’ dilemmas or difficulties in maintaining engagement; following up caregivers who do not attend or engage with groups; and developing appropriate strategies for re-engaging parents/carers and/or offering appropriate alternatives
- The ability to deliver relevant psychoeducation about the development and maintenance of anxiety, including the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social manifestations of anxiety and fears, and the role of avoidance and modelling in their development and maintenance.
- The ability to draw on a formulation and principles of cognitive behavioural theory to offer structured support to parents to help their child overcome fears and anxiety, drawing on programmes with evidence from randomised controlled trials.
- The ability to support parents to learn behavioural management strategies (for example, using praise, reducing overprotection, supporting gradual exposure) and anxiety management skills (for example, if developmentally suitable, cognitive restructuring).
- The ability to support caregivers in modelling adaptive and normative behavioural responses to perceived threat and fear, and reduced use of avoidant coping styles.
- The ability to raise parents’ awareness of, and reduce, any overprotective/controlling practices that limit the normative development of young children’s autonomy, confidence, and decision-making.
- The ability to support parents to develop a ‘coaching’ role in helping their children manage their fears and worries.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Synthesise theory and practice in planning, delivering and reflecting on therapeutic interventions for children, young people and families
- 2. Apply the core competencies of therapeutic interventions for children, young people and families
- 3. Identify how you meet the relevant specific competency standards in therapeutic interventions for children, young people and families
- 4. Evaluate the use of routine outcome monitoring in therapeutic interventions for infant and early years children
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Address systematically complex therapy practice problems that may be framed within unpredictable contexts, thinking critically, creatively, and independently
- 6. Critique the wider ethical and professional issues encountered within psychological therapy practice
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Appraise your personal strengths and weaknesses in training and experience, and reflect upon the implications for your further training needs
- 8. Function independently and reflectively as a learner and practitioner
Syllabus plan
This module is taught through weekly whole day workshops and half-day small group tutorials in terms two and three. Topics derived from the Incredible Years Parent Training Programme will form the core content of the workshops. There will be plenty of opportunities for skills practice and discussion of clinical issues through simulation and problem-based learning.
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy practice competency tape and reflective log | Therapy Session recording | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| Self-rating of baseline specific therapy competencies | 20 minute supervision group discussion | 2-3, 7-8 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy practice competency tape and reflective log (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 25 | 60-90 minute recording | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| Case report (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 25 | 3000 words | 1, 4, 6, 8 | Written |
| Case report (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 25 | 3000 words | 1, 4, 6, 8 | Written |
| Therapy practice competency tape C and reflective log (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 25 | 45-120 minute recording | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| Practice portfolio ? this is an assessment of competency and is pass/fail only (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 0 | 6000 words | 1-3, 5, 7 | Written |
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy practice competency tape A and reflective log (25%) | Therapy practice competency tape A and reflective log | 1-3, 5-7 | 12 weeks after written feedback |
| Case report A (25%) | Case report A | 1, 4, 6, 8 | Four weeks after written feedback |
| Case report B (25%) | Case report B | 1, 4, 6, 8 | Four weeks after written feedback |
| Therapy practice competency tape C and reflective log (25%) | Therapy practice competency tape C and reflective log | 1-3, 5-7 | 12 weeks after written feedback |
| Practice portfolio (0%) | Practice portfolio | 1-3, 5, 7 | Nine weeks after written feedback |
Re-assessment notes
Four assessments are required for this module. In all cases re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to resubmit within the period specified above from the date that feedback was provided.
If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped.
If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 50%.
If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module and as a consequence you will be failed in the programme and your registration as a student of the University will be terminated.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2012). ‘Social and emotional wellbeing: early years’, PH40 https://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/PH40
- NICE (2015). ‘Children’s attachment: attachment in children and young people who are adopted from care, in care or at high risk of going into care’, NG26 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng26
- Early Intervention Foundation (2015). ‘The best start at home: What works to improve the quality of parent–child interactions from conception to age 5?years? A rapid review of interventions’
- Scott, S., & Dadds, M. R. (2009). Practitioner review: when parent training doesn’t work: theory?driven clinical strategies.?Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry,?50(12), 1441-1450.
- Webster-Stratton, C. (2008). Collaborating with Parents to Reduce Children's Behavior Problems: A book for Therapists Using the Incredible Years Programs. IY Press.
- Brazelton, T. B., & Cramer, B. G. (2018).?The earliest relationship: Parents, infants and the drama of early attachment. Routledge.
- Crittenden, P. (2013).?Raising parents: Attachment, parenting and child safety. Routledge.
- Gerhardt, S. (2014).?Why love matters: How affection shapes a baby's brain. Routledge.
- Lieberman, A. F. (2017).?The emotional life of the toddler. Simon and Schuster.
- Murray, L. (2014).?The psychology of babies: How relationships support development from birth to two. Hachette UK.
- Music, G. (2024).?Nurturing natures: Attachment and children's emotional, sociocultural and brain development. Routledge.
- Stern, D. N. (1990).?Diary of a baby: What your child sees, feels, and experiences. Basic Books.
- Zeedyk, S., Robertson, J., & British Psychological Society. (2011).?The Connected baby?: a film conversation. British Psychological Society.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
All resources will be made available on ELE. This includes additional material covered in the tutorials, the required readings, information about assessment and additional material (e.g., videos).
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
DVD/audio competency clips from PT and 鉴黄师app teaching team.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7.5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 14/10/2025 |