Compared the performance of two groups of subjects on psychoeducational tests taken during adolescence and early adulthood. Adolescents who had received a protein supplement when they were infants scored higher on tests of knowledge, numeracy, reading, and vocabulary and showed faster reaction times in information-processing tasks than adolescents…

Examined middle and lower class Anglo-American and Puerto Rican mothers' sociocultural values and perceptions of attachment behavior. Anglo mothers focused on self-confidence, independence, and autonomy, whereas Puerto Rican mothers focused on obedience, relatedness, and demeanor. Findings indicate the need for culturally sensitive models of the…

Explores the role and significance of co-operation, or clustering, between small primary schools in rural areas across England and Wales. Describes small-school cluster groups in detail and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of clustering based on the opinions of sample headteachers. Considers the future of cluster co-operation. (Contains…

Investigates the effects of an intervention program involving educational, vocational, and parenting classes; social and drug rehabilitation; and infant day care on polydrug-using adolescent mothers. Results show that mothers' and infants' interactions improved, mothers demonstrated a lower incidence of drug use and pregnancy, and a greater number…

This reaction to an article (Bailey, 2001) that describes three potential levels of accountability for providing family support in early intervention and preschool programs, recommends helping all family members of children with disabilities, helping parents identify programs in the community, and identifying the most appropriate professionals for…

Reports on a workplace child care center's support of a child with a birth defect. Discusses every child's need for a secure base, how routines add to security, how crises make one more self-aware, finding resources to assist staff, solving problems creatively, and being an advocate for the children and families. (DLH)

Uses two sets of quality measures of group care to assess their predictive power for measures of the development of children in German group day care. Reports finding that measures of adult-child, child-child, and adult-adult interactions predict development levels when measured by long-term participant observation in a natural day care…

Evaluates the quality of the caregiving environment for young infants in day care centers in Athens (Greece) using three global measures: ITERS, PROFILE, and CCFS. Reveals a great similarity among the three measures. Reports a generally low quality for day care, lower than for other countries with similar research. (DSK)

Illustrates problems facing researchers trying to demonstrate causal relationships between types of nonparental care and differences between groups of Swedish children. Argues that efforts must be made to validate and interpret differences that are found. Indicates ways to avoid misinterpretation of differences that are attributable to…

Discusses evidence that social understanding informs word learning in infants. Asks: (1) Is genuine social understanding necessary for word learning?; (2) Are social clues criterial for infants' learning?; (3) Can word learning proceed without aid of social understanding?; and (4) Is social clue processing too difficult for everyday word learning?…

This article presents an overview of personality disorders in adults and suggests strategies for early interventionists to use in interacting effectively with these families. Three vignettes of parents with personality disorders accessing the early intervention systems are provided to illustrate the challenges and suggested techniques of working…

A study explored how six childcare providers who have included children with special needs are able to provide care on a daily basis. Factors included the providers' commitment, finding the balance between resources and needs, problem-solving with parents, access to emotional support and technical assistance, and access to other supports.…

Argues that reading children's picture books to babies is an underestimated resource for addressing parenting skills and developmental issues, for providing emotional attachment and satisfaction, and for promoting basic literacy. The program "Read to Me" is described as an inexpensive, nondidactic and pleasurable intervention model for use with…

Explored practices around transitioning infants/toddlers to new classes. Responses to mail survey indicated that relatively few programs provided caregiver continuity. Most programs considered attainment of developmental milestones, age, and available space when making transition decisions for infants/toddlers. Most centers used a few practices to…

The early childhood years are critical for literacy development, and there is evidence that the home environments of young children with delays or disabilities are not as rich in literacy opportunities as those of their typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to obtain information about how parents of infants and toddlers with…