The Caregiver Assessment Scale (CAS) was developed to evaluate caregiver interaction in infant-toddler settings compared to prominent child care guidelines. The CAS covers caregiving skills, enrichment activities, health and safety, and record keeping, and can be used by caregivers, directors, or supervisors. Periodic caregiver assessment is…

Details the methods and findings to date of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study of early child care. Findings concern economic factors and maternal attitudes associated with use, program characteristics associated with positive caregiving and child outcomes, the importance of family factors, program quality, and…

Argues that curriculum plays a vital role in quality programs for children under three. Proposes that development of trusting, caring relationships be the focal point of baby and toddler programming. Elaborates a curriculum model that specifies content (what is to be taught), processes (how it is to be taught), and the context in which learning…

Featured article discusses feeding infants, advocating use of homemade baby food as more economical, healthy, environmentally friendly, tasty, and smoothing the transition to finger foods. Also presents innovative classroom techniques, such as detergent box totes, and a forum for open discussion of child care topics, such as student evaluation and…

Offers guidelines for developing a pregnancy plan for child care staff. Guidelines relate to physician's permission to continue working in the child care setting; the need to be fair to all child care staff; the need for flexibility; the importance of preparing to address questions from parents and children; and the need to prepare for unexpected…

Describes how infants and toddlers learn to use action, object, picture, and word symbols, and offers suggestions for educators and caregivers to facilitate symbol use. Discusses how adults can introduce books to young children and enhance the symbolic aspect of the care and education program. (KB)

Workshops examine the importance of rituals and manners in children's lives: (1) "Creating Community, Generating Hope, Connecting Future and Past: The Role of Rituals in Our Lives" (Neugebauer); (2) "Minding Our Manners...An Early Childhood Approach" (Parr); (3) "Respect Is a Verb: Help Children Put It into Practice"…

Discusses how to make mealtime an educational part of the child care day. Presents strategies for teaching children about new foods and providing opportunities to try new foods. Examines ways to meet special dietary needs. Discusses ways to engage children in the meal, child-child interactions during mealtime, and adults' role in setting the tone…

Discusses how child caregivers can work with child life specialists to provide appropriate support for children with special health needs in early childhood settings. Describes the impact of chronic illness and hospitalization on infants and toddlers, offers suggestions for helping infants/toddlers and their families cope, focuses on play as a way…

Four workshops focus on nutrition for infants and children in child care settings. Articles are: (1) "Nutrition and Child Development: Global Perspectives" (Jacqueline Hayden); (2) "Working with Families around Nutritional Issues" (Wayne Eastman); (3) "Breastfeeding Promotion in Child Care" (Laura Dutil Aird); and (4) "Food as Shared…

Discusses the statement "I just love children" and its inappropriateness in the context of working with children in child care settings. Stresses that such statements are sometimes indicators of inappropriate attitudes on the part of caregivers, such as exercising undue power, fostering dependency, patronizing, being amused by children,…

Presents 30 suggestions for preventing behavior problems among infants and toddlers in child care settings. The suggestions are in four areas: (1) environment; (2) caregiver style; (3) organization and routines; and (4) child to child: as situations happen. (KB)

Examines connotations of "activities" within the early care and education context. Identifies problems with focusing on activities as the most important educational time, including ignoring quality of the environment, missing important learning during "down time," and being more occupied with activities than with children. Maintains that adopting…

Examines the quality of infant and toddler care as a prerequisite for the emotional well-being of children. Offers suggestions on how day-care providers can work toward understanding and generously meeting infant needs: hold and mold; be a responsive reciprocal partner; enhance noticing skills; learn ages and stages; apply developmental theories;…

Describes preliteracy skills in infants and toddlers and the ways adults encourage them, including communicating, incorporating floor and object play, and giving them a wide variety of real experiences. Asserts that caregivers can reassure parents by showing them how they encourage children's intellectual development on a daily basis. (KB)