This publication emerged from an invitational meeting held by "Project Zero to Three" to address how best to provide effective, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive early intervention programs to all infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families in an equitable way. Following an overview of the concept of culture and how that…

A Senate hearing was convened for the purpose of receiving testimony on the reauthorization of the Head Start program on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the program's implementation. Opening and prepared statements providing background information are followed by reports of the arguments of three groups of concerned parties in favor of…

This newsletter theme issue contains four articles which focus on the development of normal and handicapped infants in various settings. "The Baby's World," by Lois Barclay Murphy and Colleen T. Small, emphasizes experiences of sensation and discovery in the first three years of life, noting the role of caregivers and the cultural context. "The…

The purpose of this paper is to summarize current trends in child abuse prevention and to provide program administrators and policymakers with guidelines for implementing successful new parent programs in their communities. Contents address: (1) the scope of the child abuse problem; (2) a theoretical framework or conceptual model for use in…

This paper provides a detailed analysis of evidence concerning benefits of parent involvement in early intervention programs. It is maintained that two dimensions should be considered in defining parent involvement in early intervention programs: (1) the type of activities in which parents engage or the types of resources and assistance which are…

An estimated 6,000 children and youth in Ramsey County have severe, long-term difficulties that make it very hard for them to function at home, at school, and in the community. The suffering and hardship for these children and youth is severe. The harm also extends beyond the youth themselves, affecting their families, their schools, their…

This report is the second of a series exploring implementation of best practices in programs serving young children and families, and focuses on the uses and benefits of developing and using a logic model in programs serving young children and families. A logic model is described as providing a way to clearly articulate the program's theory of…

This document is an addition to the "The Vermont Alliance for Children: Building Bright Futures" plan and serves as a supplement specific to children with disabilities and their families. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure, guide and monitor coordination and collaboration among Head Start, Early Head Start, Essential Early…

In this book the author discusses the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as one in which practitioners are highly committed, dedicated and willing to learn. Generally, they try to do their very best for the children with whom they work. However, the author also shows that the field has hitherto been neglected in the areas of…

This issue of "Early Developments" is devoted to program evaluation, a type of work that many at FPG are engaged in, either conducting evaluations or helping agencies and states conduct evaluations. Many readers know FPG for its research in prevention, early intervention, child care, and child and family development, but in the past several years,…

Early Start for Young Children with Autism/PDD provides teachers, parents, therapists, and caregivers with intervention strategies for young children with autism or another pervasive developmental disorder. This product focuses specifically on young children ages 2 through 5 and meets the recommendations of the Office of Special Education Programs…

This Rhode Island KIDS COUNT issue brief, one of a series presenting an in-depth look at issues affecting the health, safety, education, and economic well-being of children, focuses on children's mental health services in the state. The brief reports that mental health services for children in Rhode Island are fragmented, with inadequate capacity…

Noting that large numbers of Canadian children enter kindergarten lacking basic adaptive, social, and academic skills and that research supports the effectiveness of early intervention, this master's project proposes a model addressing effective implementation of a collaborative multi-agency early intervention program in Manitoba that is…

The field of developmental psychology offers new insights into the link between the quality and nature of early relationships with caregivers to the healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children. Three dimensions of child care seem to make the most difference: the interactions between young children and their caregivers,…

A major challenge to state and jurisdictional policy makers in implementing the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, Part C under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), continues to be determining definitions of developmental delay and criteria of eligibility for services to young children, birth…