Social and emotional learning (SEL) is inherently relational, shaped by the interactions children have within their homes, schools, and communities. Grounded in ecological systems theory, this chapter explores how family-school-community partnerships can serve as a powerful mechanism for promoting SEL and fostering positive developmental outcomes.…

Following calls for diverse and contextual perspectives of the rich lives of young children, their families and communities from/in the Global South, this paper presents critical reflections emerging from a three-year (2016-2019) community-based Integrated Approach to Early Childhood Development (ECD) project implemented in the rural Eastern Cape…

The rate of early childhood overweight and obesity in the United States has increased significantly over the last 30 years. The psychosocial risks of potential stigmatization and discrimination in an overweight child can cause low-esteem and/or reduced school performance. Overweight and obese children also face the increased health risks…

Making Connections was the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature place-based, community-change initiative of the 2000s. It sought to build on previous work and launch an effort focused firmly on the framework of family strengthening. The Foundation started Making Connections in 22 places, focusing eventually on first 10, then seven sites. It…

This paper explores a community project to develop "storysacks" within an area of identified economic and social need. (Storysacks are books sent home for preschool children in England to share with their parents on a regular basis; each sack contains a fiction book, a nonfiction book linked to the story, and a wide variety of props…

Emphasizing strong partnerships with family and community, the School-Based Early Childhood Centers Project of the Child, Family, and Community Program (CFCP) identifies, develops, and evaluates early childhood partnerships with six Northwest school sites to provide case studies of the restructuring process. This report presents the results of a…

This paper discusses ways in which communities can enhance a family's ability to foster learning in the first 3 years of their child's life so that the child will be academically, emotionally, and socially competent in the transition to preschool and school. The paper focuses on model community-based programs that serve high risk families with…

"Supporting Indigenous Children's Development" challenges and offers an alternative to the imposition of best practices on communities by outside specialists. It tells the story of an unexpected partnership initiated by an Aboriginal tribal council with the University of Victoria's School of Child and Youth Care. The partnership has…