The Early Relational Health (ERH) Workgroup was formed in 2018 to provide ECFC members with a forum for exploring programs, policies, and research that bolster the dyadic relationship between parent/caregivers and young children in all systems, services, and settings where parent/caregiver and child relationships occur.

Recognizing the complex intersection of issues impacting young children and families, the workgroup explores ERH entry points and lens intersecting with member interests and priorities including: infant and early childhood mental health; maternal and caregiver mental health; birth equity; and settings, services and providers (such as pediatrics, home visiting, and doulas) that support the relational health of parents and/or primary caregivers to young children, and bolster more successful development pathways for young children.

The function of the ERH Workgroup is to provide a forum for:

• Education – to deepen our knowledge around ERH together, and provide expertise and thought partnership to ECFC for calling out and infusing ERH topics in broader programming.
• Connection – to elevate member ERH related work, resources and tools; connect members to each other around ERH topics of shared interest via workgroup calls, webinars, and updates on what’s happening in the ERH field; and help members connect with other philanthropic initiatives that are diving deeper into specific ERH areas.
• Collaboration – to infuse ERH into our work and conversations with ECFC’s allies, such as Grantmakers for Education, Education Funder Strategy Group, and Grantmakers in Health, in order to integrate ERH research and best practices into other realms in which our partners work.

ERH Workgroup Co-Chairs

• Phyllis Glink, Executive Director, Irving Harris Foundation
• Ira Hillman, Strategy Lead - Bonding, Einhorn Collaborative

Learn more about ECFC and member ERH related events and opportunities to engage.