August 2007 E-Newsletter
We are pleased to offer the ninth edition of the e-newsletter of the National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative at ZERO TO THREE, a project of the Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
You are receiving this communication because you have indicated that you are interested in information about improving the quality and supply of infant/toddler child care. If you do not wish to receive future newsletters, you can unsubscribe through the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter.
Karen Heying, Project Director
and the Initiative Staff
In This Issue
Save the Date: ZERO TO THREE's National Training Institute
Updating the Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiatives Database
Assessing Initiatives for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speaker's Kit
Diagnosing Autism Before Age One
Learning Communities Update
The National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative team is planning to hold a conference call incorporating all members of our three Learning Communities as a wrap up of the year's work. The event, which will take place in late September, will highlight lessons learned from each of the Learning Communities and announce the work for Phase III of the Initiative. We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our Learning Communities.
For more information about the activities of the Learning Communities, contact Karen Heying, Project Director at kheying@zerotothree.org
Save the Date: ZERO TO THREE's National Training Institute
ZERO TO THREE's National Training Institute (NTI) will be held November 30-December 2, 2007 in Orlando, Florida, with pre-institutes on November 29. NTI is the nation's leading early childhood professional event, bringing together a cross-section of professionals working with very young children and their families. NTI attracts professionals in mental health, early intervention, family support, program directors, social services, child care, child welfare and health care.
Dianne Stetson and Valeri Lane will present a session entitled Credentials for the Infant/Toddler Child Care Workforce: What States are Doing, which will provide an overview of the work and findings of the Initiative's Infant/Toddler Credentials Learning Community.
More information about NTI is available here.
Audio Conference Summary
The final activity of the Quality Rating Systems Learning Community was the July 17th audio conference call, "Focusing on the Unique Needs of Infants and Toddlers within the Quality Rating System." Sandy Petersen facilitated a panel discussion with Peter Mangione of WestEd, Jerlean Daniel of NAEYC, and Tammy Mann of ZERO TO THREE.
Approximately 350 people registered for this call, which included a discussion of indicators of quality care for infants and toddlers. Some of the key elements discussed include: professional development of the caregivers, primary caregiving, group size, continuity of care, and inclusiveness of the family culture. The panelists emphasized the importance of quality in infant/toddler systems of care and talked about how to incorporate the early learning guidelines, program standards and other standards of quality into the development of the elements of high quality for infants and toddlers. The session ended with suggestions for state administrators to infuse the needs of infants and toddlers in quality rating systems.
If you are interested in listening to the replay of this call or to request further information about this topic, please contact Kathie Boling, State Program Specialist, at kboling@zerotothree.org
Updating the Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiatives Database
We are in the process of updating our Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiatives Database. The database is a resource for CCDF administrators and other professionals who want to know what efforts are being initiated on the behalf of infants and toddlers. Information is available regarding initiatives that focus on or include infant/toddler child care in the 56 States and Territories.
Users of the database can view the project name, administrator of the project, and the State, Territory or ACF Region where the project takes place. Users can also view the geographic scope of the project, the target population, and numbers served by the program. Basic descriptive information is provided and, where available, a website address for more information is included. This facilitates sharing among States and Territories of strategies and designs used by different programs to best serve infants and toddlers.
To nominate a program so that we may continue to expand the initiatives included in the database, please request an Initiatives Nomination form by emailing itcc@zerotothree.org. Updates and/or corrections for initiatives already listed in our database can also be sent to itcc@zerotothree.org.
The database is available here.
Assessing Initiatives for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
Family, friend, and neighbor care is the most common form of child care for children under age five whose parents work. This brief from Research Connections highlights current models for supporting and enhancing family, friend, and neighbor care and describes initial efforts to evaluate them. The descriptions of each model include information about goals, service delivery strategies, and the information that is commonly collected. Examples of several specific programs are provided to illustrate the models. Most of the data are based on interviews with program administrators and staff as well as program reports. If there have been formal evaluations, these are described as well.
The brief is available here.
Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speaker's Kit
The Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speaker's Kit is a tool that can be used by healthcare professionals, public health educators, child care providers, or just about anyone to educate their community about sudden infant death syndrome in child care. The Kit is part of the Healthy Child Care America Back to Sleep Campaign. The Kit is available for free in English and in Spanish - copies of the materials may be made for educational purposes.
The Speaker's Kit and other materials are available here.
Diagnosing Autism Before Age One
Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland have found that autism can be diagnosed at close to one year of age, which is the earliest the disorder has ever been diagnosed. The study, which evaluated social and communication development in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from 14 to 36 months of age, revealed that approximately half of all children with autism can be diagnosed around the first birthday. The remaining half will be diagnosed later, and their development may unfold very differently than children whose ASD is diagnosable around the first birthday. Early diagnosis of the disorder allows for early intervention, which can make a major difference in helping children with autism reach their full potential.
More information about the study is available here.
Quick Links
National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative
Child Care Bureau
ZERO TO THREE
For questions about building early care and education systems that meet the needs of infants and toddlers, contact us at 202.857.2673 or itcc@zerotothree.org
The Initiative Team
Karen Heying
Project Director
kheying@zerotothree.org
Dianne Stetson
State Technical Assistance Specialist
dstetson@zerotothree.org
Kathie Boling
State Program Specialist
kboling@zerotothree.org
Valeri Lane
Program Analyst/Writer
vlane@zerotothree.org
Michelle Brown
Information and Training Specialist
mbrown@zerotothree.org
Judith Davis
Consultant
jdavis@zerotothree.org
Karen Alexander McGinley
Consultant
kmcginley@zerotothree.org