Asserting that books should be a vital part of children's lives from the earliest months, this publication provides guidelines to help parents, teachers, librarians, and others to select appropriate books for young children. Chapter 1 argues that using books will help to establish positive parent-child relationships and to ensure adequate language…

While the notion of starting education early with children has gained momentum in the public's mind, our public policies and investments still do not reflect society's increasing knowledge of how the human brain grows and how very early experiences beginning at birth affect a child's future. Arguing that if policymakers fail to include the needs…

This document is comprised of weekly newsletters for 2002, organized by month, for family child care providers. Each theme-based newsletter contains: (1) creative activities for use with mixed-age groups of 2- to 5-year-olds; (2) ideas on guiding behavior, organization tips, and a Monthly Planning Calendar; (3) special sections for infants and…

"Zero to Three" is a single-focus bulletin of the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families providing insight from multiple disciplines on the development of infants, toddlers, and their families. Compiling articles from participants of the Leadership Development Initiative Class of 2001-2002, this issue focuses on evaluation…

This report examines the use of child care vouchers in January 1998 by Illinois and Maryland families who were current or former recipients of cash assistance; also examined are changes between January 1997 and January 1998 in voucher use by children who were ever connected to cash assistance. Information was obtained through administrative data…

The first of a 3-volume series describing the 17 Early Head Start (EHS) programs in fall 1997, this report discusses the main features of the research programs and identifies the key challenges and successes they experienced during their first year of serving families. Chapter 1 of the report discusses the historical and national context of the…

This guide offers assessment and intervention guidelines for the Connecticut Birth to Three system concerning the emotional and psychological well-being of infants and toddlers in the system. Emphasis is on infants and toddlers who exhibit symptoms of traumatic stress disorder, depression or other affective disorders, regulatory disorders, sleep…

This paper discusses 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in general early childhood education settings. The evolution of inclusion policy is explored and changes in disability terminology are described. Amended provisions are then explained and include:…

This final report discusses the outcomes of Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools), an outreach project designed to provide training and technical assistance to states and territories in the development of a statewide transition system for children with disabilities, birth through 5 years of age. The focus of the…

This guide was developed to assist families and service providers in Connecticut with the development of Individualized Family Service Plans for infants and young children with hearing impairments under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It provides general information about hearing loss and deafness, intervention…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of SpecialCare Outreach, a program designed to expand inclusive child care options for families of young children with severe disabilities through replication of the SpecialCare model of training while developing linkages for collaboration through interagency planning groups. The…

Research shows that assistive technology (AT) can help young children with disabilities to learn developmental skills. Its use may help infants and toddlers to improve in many areas: (1) social skills including sharing and taking turns; (2) communication skills; (3) attention span; (4) fine and gross motor skills; and (5) self confidence and…

Criteria for parents to evaluate include the program staff, activities and equipment, interpersonal relations, and facility and program designs. (BJD)

The infant's impressions of his environment are viewed by several philosophers, including Jean Piaget. There has been some past tendency to suppose that, prior to the acquisition of language, the infant has no real impressions about his environment. More recent understandings consider that the infant is capable of conceptualization and can express…

Presents an integrated clinical approach, based on a developmental, structuralist framework, to classify adaptive and pathological personality organizations and behaviors in infants and preschool children. (Author/DB)