Everyone Wants to Hold the Baby, but Who is Holding the Family? - By Tanya Blackshear

This question sits at the heart of my work as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant. While much of Early Childhood systems focus on child outcomes, my role centers on the relationships surrounding the child, especially the caregivers and the professionals supporting them. I work alongside home visitors, early interventionists, community health workers, Early Childhood consultants and others to create reflective spaces where staff can feel supported as they care for families navigating complex realities. 

Many families are parenting within the context of financial stress, housing instability, perinatal mental health concerns, trauma, limited support systems, serious illness, among other social factors that impact them. These challenges do not just affect families; they also impact the workforce. In consultation, we slow down the urge to “fix” and instead explore how to stay present, curious, and relational. Together, we explore how to remain present and hold empathy while maintaining boundaries, how to support caregivers without taking on their pain, and how to remain grounded when the work feels heavy. These conversations aim to help staff reconnect to their purpose and feel less alone in the emotional weight they encounter.  

When providers feel held, their capacity to hold families expands. I witness teams grow more reflective, confident, and intentional in how they partner with families. Small shifts like listening with curiosity and acknowledging strengths begin to shift interactions in meaningful ways. Families often feel more understood, and engagement deepens. 

My role is to help create that layer of support within the community: holding the people who are holding parents, who are holding babies. When we strengthen those relationships, we strengthen the entire system. 

I am grateful to partner with such wonderful providers and agencies who are dedicated to supporting Champaign County’s families as they raise the future of our community.