The DIMHP is a standardised and evidence-based method that strengthens the work of the community health nurse in detecting and addressing vulnerabilities in the child's psychological development and functioning at nine to ten months of age.
Courses in the DIMHP include:
- Two one-day courses three months apart
- Individual training in using the DIMHP
- Online mid-term booster after the first day of the course
- Online final booster three months after the second day of the course
Completing the DIMHP training is a prerequisite for using the DIMHP.
What does the community health nurses learn
The course covers the theoretical and empirical background for assessing psychological development and functioning in infants. The DIMHP is based on the scientific evidence for a ‘window of opportunity’ at the infant’s ninth to tenth month of life. Through guidelines and training, the community health nurse will gain insight into how the DIMHP is used in practice. The course qualifies the community health nurse to:
- Identify early signs of mental vulnerability in infants through the standardised DIMH assessment in dialogue with the child’s parents
- Provide parents with feedback on the examination with a focus on how they can support their child’s development
- Plan preventive measures within the framework of healthcare in the municipality
How the course adds value to healthcare in the municipality
- Opportunity to increase preventive interventions targeting mental vulnerability in young children based on solid scientific evidence
- Each community health nurse acquires the professional skills to detect developmental vulnerability in infants
- Through training in the DIMHP and the use of DIMHP guidelines, the community health nurse gains the skills to involve the child’s parents in a dialogue about the child’s developmental vulnerabilities and potentials
- Through the education and training of the DIMHP, the community health nurse is equipped with tools to help parents gain greater insight into and understanding of their child’s developmental needs
- Through training and using the DIMHP guidelines, the community health nurse gets inspiration for involving parents in concrete possibilities for action in terms of preventive interventions that can strengthen the child’s mental development and well-being
The target group
The course is aimed at community health nurses and healthcare managers in municipal early childhood healthcare. In municipalities that have not previously implemented the DIMHP, all community health nurses participate together. In addition, the course is offered to individual community health nurses in municipalities that have already implemented the DIMHP.
Teachers
The training is provided by specially trained community health nurses who have many years of experience in using the DIMHP in practice. In addition, training is also conducted by specialist doctors and developmental psychologists with clinical and research experience in developmental psychopathology and mental vulnerability in infants.
Course Certificate
A course certificate is issued upon completion of the training.
What former course participants say
Read more about what former students say about the DIMHP.
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions regarding the course programme, please contact the SIF Course Team:
Tina Thorsø Finkelstein and Susanne Brenaa Reimann by email sifevent@sdu.dk or phone 6550 7712 / 6550 7724.