Infant-Parent Training Institute

Infant Observation

The Infant Observation Course helps prepare professionals for working with infants, parents, and families.

The course includes a two-hour small group seminar, weekly one-hour observations of an infant-parent dyad, written observations, and readings on aspects of infant observation, development, and infant-parent interaction. The course meets twice a month from September to June. Please see the FAQs for more information.

***Due to the COVID-19 situation, we are not offering our Infant Observation course in the 2020-2021 academic year. This decision was made to ensure the wellbeing of our students and our observation families. Thank you for your understanding. 

Students

Infant Observation provides a rich experience for professionals across a wide spectrum of disciplines. Our students have included social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, early childhood educators, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and early intervention specialists.

The Experience of Infant Observation

Observing infants over time in their family setting forms the foundation for understanding early development and the parent-child relationship. In addition, the experience of close observation builds awareness of the observer’s internal experiences and responses, a critical base for therapeutic work. Formal training in infant observation has long played a role in the training of psychotherapy professionals and child development specialists.

Observers become sensitized to intricate aspects of infant behavior and infant-parent interaction. The natural and inevitable feelings aroused by infant observation are shared and explored within the supportive small group. This allows for multiple perspectives and expands the view of the one observer. Group process provides another level of understanding, as group interactions sometimes parallel interactions observed between mothers and infants.

Program Information

• Our Infant Observation seminar meets twice a month from September to June at our Waltham Headquarters. 
• Classes are small; maximum of five students.
• The tuition for the course is $1,750.
• In an effort to advance equitable access to training in Infant Mental Health, our donors have earmarked scholarship funds for students from racial and ethnic minority groups. Please contact IPTI for more information. 
• CEUs for some disciplines will be available. 
• Please contact us at ipti@jfcsboston.org if you would be interested in IPTI offering Infant Observation on-site for your organization or group.

Application

• Download the Infant Observation Course application.

We are excited to be offering a section of our Infant Observation Course at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society & Institute (BPSI).

For more information, contact us at ipti@jfcsboston.org or 781-693-5652