Patient-centered care is extending the sphere of health care beyond the patient, focusing attention upon the family caregiver(s). In this context, patient-family relationships are at the center of consistent, well-developed interprofessional interventions that encompass caregiver education, training, and wellness. Cohort models of intervention…

Child- and family-serving programs in community-based settings wield tremendous power for improving the lives of infants and toddlers. In this article, three authors, from Ohio, Montana, and Sierra Leone, describe the principles of adaptive leadership and will share their real-world applications. Their stories explore critical questions for…

In 1998 a group of American adoptive parents led by Jenny Bowen created Half the Sky Foundation (HTS) to provide nurturing care and education for children living in Chinese orphanages (known as children's welfare institutions). Jenny, a former screenwriter and film director, and her husband Richard wanted to ensure that the children still waiting…

The early childhood years (conception to age 8) are not only the most critical time for human growth but also for development and learning. Neurological and behavioral scientists document how inadequate stimulation and interactions can disrupt basic neural circuitry and cause long-term challenges for child's cognitive development. Yet, despite the…

Describes the work and organization of the Center, which focuses on strengthening the capacity of child care and Head Start programs to improve social and emotional outcomes for young children. Specifically examines two main activities: creation of a series of What Works Briefs and development of a set of comprehensive training modules. (SD)

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

Describes the Home-Based Child Care Program, an initiative to improve child care quality by providing training to kith-and-kin caregivers and to family child care providers in three New York City low-income immigrant communities and by expanding local employment opportunities. Notes that the program achieved its primary goals, providing…

The Stepfamily Enrichment Program is a multi-couple group intervention intended to help stepfamilies successfully negotiate the early stages of family formation. Theory, research, and clinical findings were integrated in this intervention designed specifically for remarried couples. Emphasis is placed on strengthening and improving family…

Outlines an innovative approach taken by a TAFE (technical and further education) institute in Tasmania to overcome problems associated with effective implementation of on-the-job training in field placements of early childhood students. The program involves a college-based child care training center, where students in an Associate's degree…

Describes Project CREATE (Caregiver Recruitment, Education, and Training Enhancement), designed to improve the quality of community-based child care programs in Delaware, and provided in three 1-credit modules at no cost to participants. Identifies barriers to providing education to infant and toddler caregivers. Presents preliminary evaluation…

This qualitative research study evaluated the impact of the Family Child Care Connection, a model designed to improve the quality of family child care for infants and toddlers. This 5-year project was administered by the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and implemented in four satellite networks of family child care providers located in low income…

Models of state involvement in training child care providers are briefly discussed and the employers' role in training is explored. Six criteria for states that are taken as models are identified, and four are described. Various state activities are described for each criterion. It is noted that little is known about employer and other private…

The Families Matter series of papers from the Harvard Family Research Project advances the concept of family-centered child care, advocating an approach to early childhood education that addresses the development of the child and family together. Grounded in family support principles, which build on family strengths and work from a community's…

Describes the development and features of an innovative field experience program, in the form of an internship, for early childhood student teachers, as part of a four-year Bachelor of Education Degree at Australia's University of Newcastle. Discusses participants' perceptions of the internship as a professionalizing experience. (HTH)

Serving as a substitute child caregiver can provide youth with an opportunity to sample the child care occupation while learning child care work skills. This report describes the Child Care Substitute Youth Internship Program, a community-based development project. Participating in the program in 1996 were fifteen 19- to 24-year-olds, 9 of whom…