• You enjoy working with babies, toddlers, and young kids: Every day brings new smiles, surprises, and chances to help little ones grow.

• You want to help families feel supported: You’ll be a trusted guide for parents and caregivers.

• You care about emotional health: You’ll teach others how to handle feelings, stress, and relationships.

• You like solving problems: You’ll help families face challenges like behavior concerns, trauma, or big life changes.

If you want to make a difference early in life, this is the field for you!

These roles allow you to grow and find your place in supporting early childhood development.

With a high school diploma/GED or higher: 

• Infant Mental Health Support Worker

An Infant Mental Health Support Worker, credentialed in Ohio as an Ohio Infant Family Affiliate Level I (OIFA-I), helps parents and caregivers with young children by identifying the child’s needs and connecting them to helpful services. They might work as home visitors, community health workers, early intervention coordinators, or child care providers. Their job is to support healthy parenting and child development by offering screenings and guiding families to resources like counseling, health care, or parenting programs. 

With an associate’s degree or higher: 

• Infant Mental Health Practitioner

An Infant Mental Health Practitioner, credentialed in Ohio as an Ohio Infant Family Practitioner Level II (OIFP-II), is a professional who provides specialized support to infants, toddlers, and their families, focusing on social and emotional development and mental health. IMHP training builds skills in identifying, assessing, and using evidence-based interventions to support families with children experiencing social-emotional delays or mental health concerns.

With a bachelor's degree or higher: 

• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Consultants work with adults who care for young children, like teachers and child care workers. They help adults understand how to support children’s emotions, behavior, and development. If a child is having a hard time with big feelings or changes, the consultant gives advice and tools to help. They don’t usually work one-on-one with children, but they help create safe, caring places for kids to grow.

Other job titles you may see:

• Infant Mental Health Affiliate

• Home Visitor

• Developmental Specialist

• Early Intervention Service Coordinator

• Family Support Specialist 

• Support emotional development: Help children learn how to express feelings in healthy ways.

• Work with families: Guide parents and caregivers on how to support their child’s mental health.

• Identify concerns early: Screen and assess young children to spot signs of trauma, delays, or stress and help families get the right services.

• Team up with others: Work with teachers, doctors, and therapists to build strong support systems.

• Offer therapy: Depending on training, some professionals may give therapy or help caregivers handle tough situations.

• Offer consultation: Professionals may offer staff training, classroom observations, or strategies to promote a nurturing learning environment.

These professionals build safe, supportive environments where young children can grow and feel secure.

• Preschools and childcare centers

• Home visiting programs

• Mental health clinics

• Hospitals and pediatric offices

• Community agencies and nonprofits

• Schools and early intervention programs

They meet families where they are—whether it’s at home, in school, or in the community.

• Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children (Ages 0–6): Children who may have trouble with emotions, behavior, learning, or social skills. Some may cry a lot, have trouble sleeping, or struggle to connect with others.

• Parents and Caregivers: Adults who want help understanding their child’s needs or managing stress at home. This includes birth parents, grandparents, foster parents, and others raising young children.

• Families Facing Stress or Trauma: Families dealing with poverty, housing problems, violence, divorce, serious illness, or the loss of a loved one.

• Children with Developmental or Behavioral Concerns: Kids who might be showing signs of autism, ADHD, anxiety, or delays in speech and learning.

• Families Going Through Big Changes: Families adjusting to new babies, moves, job loss, or other life transitions that affect a child’s emotional well-being.

• Early Childhood Centers and Staff: Child care centers, preschools, and Head Start programs seeking guidance on how to support young children’s emotional and behavioral development. 

Early help makes a big difference. These professionals support the whole family during a child’s most important years.

The education you need depends on the type of job you want. Some roles only require a high school diploma with training, while others require a college degree. 

High School Diploma or GED + On-the-Job Training: These positions often include training provided by your employer or a community organization. Some may require a  Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.

Associate’s Degree (2-Year College Degree): This is often required for entry-level jobs that involve more responsibility and some independent work with children and families. Focus your coursework on topics such as early childhood, education, social work, or nursing.

Bachelor’s Degree (4-Year College Degree): A bachelor’s degree is usually required for professional jobs that include assessment, planning, and coordination of care for children and families. Choose from fields of study that include a focus on early childhood development like: Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Education or Nursing. 

Master’s Degree: To provide therapy or mental health counseling to children and families, you typically need a master’s degree and a license to practice.

The more education and experience you have, the more options you’ll have to work directly with families and children.

In Ohio, common credentials in this field are: 

• Ohio Infant Family Affiliate Level 1 (OIFA-I): requires a high school diploma or GED, or a CDA or an associate’s degree or higher,  at least two years of experience working with infants and young children, along with 20 hours of approved training.

• Ohio Infant Family Practitioner Level 2 (OIFP-II):requires a bachelor's degree or higher (with coursework on Early Childhood), two years infant/early childhood work experience, and 30 hours of approved training. 

• Ohio Infant Mental Health Practitioner Level 3 (OIMHP-III): requires a master's  degree or higher, 2 years postgraduate experience in early childhood and 40 hours of approved training. 

• Child Development Associate (CDA): requires 120 hours of training in CDA-approved content areas and 480 hours of documented experience working with young children. 

• Ohio Early Childhood Mental Health Credential (ECMHC): requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with a focus in early childhood or professional licensure (LSW, LISW, LPC, LPCC, Psychologist, LMFT, RN) and two years of work experience in Early Childhood Mental Health.

Click here to learn more about licenses, credentials, and certifications.