This facilitator's guide is part of an overall program developed as a resource for child and youth care workers and foster parents. Those using the facilitator's guide must possess considerable knowledge and training in the areas of child abuse, child welfare, child laws, human development, and group and family dynamics. Facilitators must be able…

This report presents the first phase of an ongoing longitudinal study that explores the contexts in which children of various sociocultural groups experience literacy as they make the transition to formal schooling. Participants were the caregivers of pre-kindergarten children attending Baltimore public schools that served neighborhoods varying in…

This paper proposes state regulations for the training of child care staff members in developmentally appropriate safe aquatic practices, outlines required features of any pools that children visit, and suggests safe practices for water-related activities at child care centers and swimming pools. The staff training regulation suggestions include…

This program was designed to provide Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention education for African-American women of child bearing age at a child care center which serves low income high risk families. The primary goal was to reduce the risk of African-American women at the child care center for contracting the Human Immunodeficiency…

Temporary child care programs, such as crisis nurseries or respite care services for children with special needs, need to develop and implement a risk management program to address any difficulties that might be encountered in providing direct care services. Risk management is a structured process to minimize potential liability, avoid harm to…

In 1988, the National Child Care Staffing Study (NCCSS) exposed the minimally adequate and deteriorating quality that characterized many of our nation's full-day child care centers and linked this poor quality to the inadequate compensation available to child care teaching staff. This report describes a follow-up study done in 1992 to provide an…

A study investigated the patterns of question use in Mandarin Chinese-speaking parents' and caregivers' interactions with children, and how they characterize social class differences. Subjects were 10 children, aged 21-23 months, and their families, selected from immunization records in Beijing, China. Parents were all native speakers of Mandarin…

Designed as a guide for those who work with children in education, social work, health and childcare settings, this volume provides an introduction to some of the most common, yet often incapacitating, difficulties encountered in children. The developmental process in children is described, and an approach to preliminary assessment is offered.…

This report details a survey of state child care regulatory agencies. Data on both small family child care homes (FCCH) and group or large family child care homes (LCCH or GCCH) are included and organized into 22 categories: (1) number of regulated homes; (2) definitions and regulatory requirements; (3) unannounced inspection procedure; (4)…

The increase in the number of infants and toddlers experiencing nonparental care creates an urgent need for the insights of theorists, clinicians, and researchers. These insights can help caretakers promote the mental health of infants and toddlers. Although caregivers usually provide sufficient support of babies' cognitive development, they may…

The benefits of movement are enhanced when children with disabilities move with their nondisabled peers. This study sought to determine the effects of a motor development training program on child care providers in order to promote movement-based activities and perceived competence in this area. Twenty child care providers were assigned to either…

This policy report on compensation for child care providers is designed for use by directors, child care providers, clergy, board members, and other leaders in church-housed child care programs. Section I underscores the importance of securing fair compensation and reasonable benefits for child care providers in church-housed and non-church-housed…

Second Helping is a 32-hour, 4-module course designed by and for family child care providers to address issues of concern to the provider, such as individual well-being, business skills, family relations, and child development. This booklet discusses the Second Helping family child care provider training course and outlines the qualifications…

Family day care is the largest source of nonparental care for young children and often provides the care many families require. In 1991-93, the National Center for Children in Poverty studied 10 local programs that support family day care providers in low-income neighborhoods to increase understanding about family day care and to learn from the…

This publication deals with the present crisis in infant/toddler care. It presents information on infant/toddler development and optimal caregiving paractices, citing recent research on appropriate practices and the impact of poor versus quality care. The book is divided into two sections. In the first section, "Development and Program…