RIOS™1: Using the RIOS™1 Framework for Reflective Supervision

Overview

Reflective supervision/consultation (RS/C) is a form of ongoing professional development that supports infant and early childhood practitioners in their work and guides them in providing services focused on children’s needs.

In this three-week fully online course, participants receive an introduction to the principles and core competencies of RS/C using the Reflective Interaction Observation Scale (RIOS™) as a framework for learning about RSC.

The Reflective Interaction Observation Scale (RIOS™) was developed at CEED to identify the extent to which a supervisory or consultation session demonstrates a reflective process grounded in infant mental health theory and principles. The RIOS is aligned with the competencies of the Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® supported by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.

This course is a prerequisite for the online course RIOS™ 2: Advanced Reflective Supervision Using the RIOS™ Framework, intended for those currently providing or preparing to provide RS/C.

Please note: Take this course as a stand-alone course or apply it to the University of Minnesota's Supporting Early Social and Emotional Development credential.

Learning Objectives

• Gain an understanding of the principles and goals of RS/C.
• Learn the structure of a RS/C session.
• Learn how to describe the topics of conversation and methods of inquiry used in RS/C when employing the RIOS™ framework.

Intended Audience

• Early childhood educators
• Special education educators and practitioners
• Social workers
• Nurses
• Pediatricians
• Home visitors
• Others working with young children ages birth to five

Course Format

• This course occurs on a learning platform and does not include live, scheduled webinars.
• All activities and assignments for this course are asynchronous and online. Nothing takes place in real-time.
• The course is instructor-led with feedback and interactions provided.
• You have access to the course site 24/7 during its scheduled weeks.
• Activities and assignments include readings, videos, discussion board, recording videos using an online tool called FlipGrid, and reflection papers.
• You are expected to participate fully and abide by weekly submission due dates for assignments and activities.

Schedule

This course is being offered twice this winter/spring (and is typically offered again in the summer and in the fall/winter terms).

• February 1 to February 22, 2021. Register by January 27.
• February 22 to March 15, 2021. Register by February 17.

Course Instructor

Kristin Irrer, Infant Mental Health Specialist, IMH-E®.
Mrs. Irrer has been working in the field of child development for over twenty years, supporting infants, young children, and their families in a variety of prevention and intervention settings. Her professional areas of interest are in expanding capacity for those in administrative roles to experience reflective supervision and exploring ways to embed RS/C into systems that support infants and toddlers. In her current role, she offers training and guidance to a multi-disciplinary workforce as they grow in their reflective capacities and view their work from an Infant Mental Health informed lens. Along with teaching for the Infant Mental Health Certificate program at the University of Minnesota, Kristin provides reflective supervision/consultation to a diverse group of professionals working in the infant family field including those in child welfare, early intervention, home visiting, early childhood mental health, coaching, and administrative roles. She holds a masters degree in child development with specializations in infancy and administration from the Erikson Institute. Kristin is currently the IECMH Endorsement® Coordinator for the State of Colorado.

Infant Mental Health Competencies & Endorsement

The Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health has listed all courses offered by this training sponsor, the Center for Early Education & Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota, as specifically aligned to the Competencies® for the Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® The Alaska Association of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (AK-AIMH)
implements this system and more information about the Competencies® and Endorsement® be found on our website.

CEED lists the following Competencies addressed in the course:

• Law, Regulation, & Agency Policy – ethical practice
• Working With Others – building & maintaining relationships, supporting others/mentoring, collaborating, resolving conflict, empathy & compassion, consulting
• Communicating – listening, speaking, writing
• Thinking – analyzing information, solving problems, exercising sound judgment, maintaining perspective, planning & organizing
• Reflection – contemplation, self-awareness, curiosity, professional/personal development, emotional response, parallel process