Infant and early childhood mental health focuses on the developing relationship between a child and caregiver from birth to age 3. It aims to support healthy social-emotional development, not diagnose psychopathology. Relationship-based practices view early relationships as fundamental to growth and target services to nurture family bonds. Infant mental health professionals employ comprehensive, intensive relationship-based approaches through concrete support, emotional support, advocacy, developmental guidance, parent-infant psychotherapy, and reflective supervision.