Wellness Model for Young Children and Families

According to the World Health Organization, health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Wellness is much more than physical health; it is essentially an ecological construct, encompassing the multileveled influences, both internal and external, within which an individual’s lived experience unfolds.

Over the past decade, there has been growing awareness among parents, teachers, social service providers, and medical and mental health professionals of the primacy of the young child’s wellness in predicting prospects for healthy development and functioning in the long term. This awareness has been coupled with the recognition that the wellness of young children and the wellness of families are inextricably intertwined. Family experiences and resources shape the opportunities for wellness ...