Intended primarily for professionals teaching early childhood and infant intervention courses, this handbook presents an overview of child care as both a support to families and an economic necessity, meeting changing and dynamic needs. Child care settings and types of care are discussed, along with quality indicators, licensing, and provider…

The popularity of home care for chronically ill or technology-dependent children has moved professionals into unfamiliar settings. Factors responsible for the relatively sudden surge of effort to place children with complex needs at home include costs, individualism and autonomy, changing views of medicine and its institutions, limits of medical…

KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all…

Because of increasing numbers of children from biracial/bi-ethnic families attending childcare programs and increasing awareness of cultural diversity, and in recognition of the connection between a child's success and his or her racial/ethnic self-esteem, this curriculum is intended to help childcare providers integrate activities and materials…

Noting that everyone who interacts with a young child is a teacher, this booklet for preschool teachers and child care providers draws from scientifically based research about what they can do to help children develop their language abilities, increase their knowledge, become familiar with books and other printed materials, learn letters and…

Asserting that children who are exposed to a rich variety of literary experiences at home are far more likely to enter school ready to learn than those not exposed, this booklet for parents and caregivers discusses 10 guidelines to help them promote literacy in young children. The guidelines are: (1) talk and sing with your child; (2) read to your…

This study examined the effects of a pediatric clinic-based intervention program, Reach Out and Read (ROR), on the literacy beliefs and behaviors of caretakers of children ages 9 months to 5 years. Doctors' beliefs about literacy and parent behavior were also examined. Data were collected through structured interviews conducted with 22 caregivers…

Eight separate brochures, presented here in English versions, but also available in six additional languages (Cambodian, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese), are designed to provide parents, adolescents, and children with information about sexual assault, self-protection, and healthy interpersonal relationships. Each brochure…

Observing and reflecting upon actual interactions between professionals and families in a variety of settings can be a valuable tool in training professionals, who work with young children and their families. This 65-minute videotape presents five 10-minute segments of interactions between professionals and families: (1) occupational therapists…

Based on the view that play builds the foundation for lifelong learning, this 3-volume set of videotapes (in English and Spanish versions) with accompanying facilitators guide depicts a wide variety of parents/caregivers playing with infants and toddlers to highlight the importance of playing and interacting in ways that support and expand…

This practicum was developed to increase the quality of child care offered by family daycare providers on a military base in the western United States. Providers were to improve their developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) by following a daily activity schedule, setting up enriched home environments, writing and implementing curricula, and…

Examined 14 low-income mothers' socialization goals for their preschool children and the role of child-care providers in achieving those goals. Subjects' views of preschool learning were not entirely congruent with a constructivist approach to learning, and were linked to other cultural models of childrearing, including respecting authority,…

Discusses the attachment principles in relation to infant/toddler care programs. Emphasizes a secure base for exploration of physical and social worlds, physical comfort, and child-teacher relationships. Concludes by describing the five major benefits of attention to attachment concepts for the infant care field in general. (MOK)

Asserts that social relationships may be enhanced through a youngster's efforts and those of caring adults, especially teachers, parents, and other caregivers. Presents two checklists, one to assist when observing and recording children's behaviors and another to aid adults with the self-assessments of their child guidance techniques. (Author/SD)

Considers alternative ways of measuring the sensitivity of caregivers. Observed 30 professional caregiver-infant dyads in three different situations. Reports that the results support the view that sensitivity is subject to contextual influences and that researchers need to think carefully about the when and where of sensitivity measures. (DSK)