Involving parents and caregivers in every step of their child’s treatment sets families up for success.
Rahil is the National Director of HealthySteps, a program of ZERO TO THREE, that provides early childhood development support to families in pediatric primary care offices.
Gwen is the Substance Use Disorder Clinical Manager for Safe Babies at ZERO TO THREE.
Traditional treatment models for infants and toddlers and their parents often look at children from a single perspective, but dyadic care looks at each baby as part of a larger family system — and works to give everyone in that system the skills for success. At the most basic level, dyadic care means caring for both babies and their caregivers as a whole.
Dyadic care is reflexive and responsive to a family’s unique needs, with respect to their cultural preferences, family structure, and resources. In some families and multigenerational households, that may mean several caregivers are in relationships with the child.
The co-regulation process between child and caregiver is really critical, and we are not using our time wisely if we only work with one or the other.
Because young children exist in the context of relationships with their parents and caregivers, incorporating their perspective is a gold standard in conducting assessments or providing treatment to young children. For families in poverty or those from marginalized communities, dyadic care works within that context to provide comprehensive care that considers those external forces.
Explore more common "buzzwords" and topics in the early childhood field.
In a pediatrician’s office, dyadic treatment includes a conversation with the caregivers about home life. The doctor asks about daily routines while examining the toddler. Since reading to children is one of the best ways to increase vocabulary, the doctor asks about some of their favorite books — and discovers the parent did not realize the value of reading to preverbal children.
In the same vein, parents who talk to their children throughout their day — even when the babies are not able to speak yet — boost their vocabulary. Through an organic, open conversation, this family leaves with a plan to read two books every night, chat more throughout their day, and schedule an evaluation with an Early Intervention speech therapist.
Our HealthySteps program delivers dyadic services in the pediatric primary care setting.
Our infographic shows how a HealthySteps Specialist uses a two-generation approach to promote well-being and to address concerns related to challenging behaviors, developmental delays, caregiver mental health, and/or family needs such as food and housing instability
Through the use of dyadic care, the toddler is able to receive developmental services that work within their homelife. This well-rounded and thorough look at a parental concern through a dyadic lens is a more comprehensive and effective method of care.
Our Safe Babies program fosters a team-based dyadic approach to meet family needs aligning services for parent and child.
Learn more about how Safe Babies‘ Family Team Meetings engage families in proactive planning to align early childhood systems that center young children’s developmental needs for safe, stable, and nurturing early caregiving relationships, as well as the individualized needs of each family member.
The doctor’s office is just one place that dyadic care works. Home visitors get an upfront look at a baby’s family system and can offer targeted interventions, and child care staff get to observe meaningful peer interactions as well as connect with a baby’s caregivers. Babies aren’t raised in a vacuum, so why treat them as if they are?
