September/October 2008 E-Newsletter
We are pleased to offer the eighteenth 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
Tools to Support CCDF Strategic Planning
NITCCI Webinar: Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Infant/Toddler Care
ZERO TO THREE National Training Institute
Developmental Screening and Assessment Instruments
Five Ideas for Children Five Years and Younger
Impacts of Early Childhood Programs
Early Childhood Experiences: Laying the Foundation for Health Across a Lifetime
Tools to Support CCDF Strategic Planning
CCDF administrators are beginning the process of developing the required biennial plan for FFY 2010 through 2011. This time they will have new tools designed to support strategic planning for the use of targeted funds for improving access to quality infant/toddler child care. In addition to the publication, A Planning Tool for the Child Care and Development Fund Targeted Funds for Infants and Toddlers, which is already on the NITCCI website, a strategic planning tool kit will soon be available. The tool kit will include an overview of the planning process, step by step task guide, system analysis framework, and other resources. Systems approach planning for use of the CCDF infant/toddler targeted funds offers an opportunity for States and Territories to strategically maximize the impact on the quality of child care for babies and toddlers. The goal is to maximize quality with available funds, through sound decision-making regarding planned initiatives.
NITCCI will notify CCDF administrators when the tool kit is available. NITCCI can also provide technical assistance to help implement the strategic planning process. For more information, please contact Karen Heying at kheying@zerotothree.org or 202-638-1144, ext. 618
NITCCI Webinar: Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Infant/Toddler Care
In May 2008, NITCCI convened an Issues Meeting to identify key issues to consider when developing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) that are inclusive of infants and toddlers. On September 29th, NITCCI hosted a webinar/web-based conference call on the implications of QRIS for infant/toddler care. This webinar outlined the discussion and recommendations from participants at the Issues Meeting. Speakers included Marty Zaslow, Vice President for Research, Early Childhood Development Child Trends, Inc.; Linda Saterfield, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Child Care and Development, Illinois Department of Human Services; and Elizabeth Kelley, Director, Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development.
The webinar playback is available here.
ZERO TO THREE National Training Institute December 5-7, 2008
The 23rd Annual ZERO TO THREE National Training Institute (NTI) will be held December 5-7, 2008 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. A Pre-Institute will be held on December 4th. This year's theme is "Connecting Science, Policy and Practice: Improving Outcomes for Infants and Toddlers."
NTI is the premiere conference for professionals dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of infants and toddlers. An unparalleled agenda brings together perspectives from experts in many disciplines and specialties within the infant/toddler field and provides the ideal arena for professionals to engage in meaningful exchanges of information and contacts. Dr. T. Berry Brazelton will be the featured speaker at the opening plenary - additional plenary topics include "The Emotional World of Infants and Toddlers," "Policy Initiatives to Address the Needs of the Most Vulnerable Infants and Toddlers," and "Group Care in the US: Past, Present & Future Opportunities to Improve Quality Care."
More information about NTI and online registration are available here.
Developmental Screening and Assessment Instruments with an Emphasis on Social and Emotional Development for Young Children Ages Birth Through Five
The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) has compiled comprehensive information about early childhood (birth through age five) developmental screening and assessment instruments, with a focus on social and emotional development. Almost 40 instruments are categorized by whether they address multiple domains of development or whether they focus on social emotional development. Each instrument comes with a description and information about the age range for which it is appropriate, the time needed to administer the instrument, how scoring works, and who should conduct the screening.
This tool is available here.
Five Ideas for Children Five Years and Younger
This brief from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) presents policy ideas and state examples on how to improve the foundation for learning in young children.
NCSL's "Five Ideas for Children Five Years and Younger" are:
- Ensure that the children to be served drive program decisions
- Promote early learning and development in child care and preschool
- Build the skills of teachers and caregivers
- Support effective parenting
- Build the birth-to-five infrastructure
The brief is available here.
Impacts of Early Childhood Programs
The Brookings Institution and First Focus have produced a joint report to provide current information regarding the impact and effectives of several early childhood intervention programs. The report includes analyses of Early Head Start, Head Start, State Pre-K, Model Early Childhood Programs, and the Nurse Family Partnership.
The report is available here.
Early Childhood Experiences: Laying the Foundation for Health Across a Lifetime
This research brief from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation discusses the growing body of evidence that ties early childhood experience with health throughout life. It supports the conclusion that children who participate in high quality early childhood development programs experience immediate and long term health benefits, as well as significant cognitive gains and better academic achievement.
The brief 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