This report presents revised birth and fertility rates for 1991-1999, plus previously published rates for 2000-2001, based on populations consistent with the April 1, 2000 census. Revised rates for Hispanic subgroups are also included. Rates are presented by age, race, and Hispanic origin of mother; by age, race, Hispanic origin, and marital…

"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. An outgrowth of the Head Start Forum on Infant Mental Health, this issue focuses on infant mental health and implications for Early…

This document contains recommendations from the Sunset Commission for the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) in Austin, Texas. Recommendations include: (1) modify ECI's current method of purchasing early intervention services to ensure the state receives the best value for its dollars; (2) tap additional funding sources to…

This report contains recommendations from the Sunset Advisory Commission for the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) in Austin, Texas. The Commission review of ECI focused on maximizing the resources of the existing service delivery system to improve the quality of services and to provide services to more children and their…

This report provides a comprehensive listing of state and federal investments in Illinois' efforts to improve the quality of life for expecting parents and children under age three and their families. The inventory profiles a wide range of initiatives and is designed to serve as a resource for local program directors, community members,…

This document is comprised of weekly newsletters for family child care providers for the year 2000. Each theme-based four-page 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…

At the request of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, the General Accounting Office (GAO) examined programs and services funded at federal and state levels providing direct early childhood care and education for low-income children up to age 5 years. Also examined were state and local assessments of difficulties low-income parents…

Noting that all parents can help their baby's brain to grow, this guide, in English- and Spanish-language versions, explores what science has learned about infant brain development and how parents and caregivers can influence cognitive development. Topics covered include: prenatal care, touching your baby, teaching about feelings and self-control,…

In 1994, the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Services for Families with Infants and Toddlers set forth a vision for Early Head Start programs in declaring that all child care settings used by Early Head Start families, whether or not the program provides the care directly, must meet the high standards of quality embodied in the Head Start…

Federal law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1997) requires that states participating in Part C, Services for Infants and Toddlers, "…maintain and implement a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system…". The challenges of preparing and maintaining trained personnel to provide these…

The interaction of biological and social factors on the mental and psychological development of 114 low-bIrth-weight premature infants from primarily poor and non White urban families was studied. It is suggested that premature infants are more vulnerable to environmental insufficiencies than are full-term babies. Journal Availability: American…

The use of research results concerning interactive behaviors of hearing impaired infants by teachers, clinicians, and others who visit and observe hearing impaired children and their parents at home is discussed. Specific suggestions are presented for how these observations can be achieved and used in developing and maintaining social…

Words artificially isolated from 12 parents' speech to their children aged 1;10-3;0 were significantly less intelligible to adult listeners than words originally spoken to an adult. While parents did not adjust the clarity of words, their speech was more redundant in anticipation of the children's comprehension. Research implications are…

Conclusions from a study of 505 mothers in 9 rural southern Illinois counties are: (1) they prefer the home environment over a day care center environment; (2) if available, a majority would use day care; and (3) if good infant care were available, most would work outside the home because of need or desire. (LC)

A total of 193 basically healthy working-class and middle-class mothers and their infants participated in a four-year longitudinal study. The study focused on the relative potency of several clusters of variables for predicting intellectual and language outcomes during the preschool years. (Author/RH)