useImperativeHandle.js

import { useImperativeHandle, forwardRef, useEffect, useRef } from "react";

const Input = forwardRef((props, parentRef) => {
  const childRef = useRef();
  const someMethod = () => 1;

  useImperativeHandle(parentRef, () => ({
    focusOnChildInput: () => childRef.current.focus(),
    callChildMethod: someMethod,
  }));
  
  return <input ref={childRef} />;
});

const Form = () => {
  const ref = useRef();
  
  useEffect(() => {
    if (ref) {
      ref.current?.callChildMethod?.(); // 1
      ref.current?.focusOnChildInput?.();
    }
  }, []);

  return (
    <form>
      <Input ref={ref} />
    </form>
  );
};