Early childhood professionals are familiar with finding and appreciating daily moments of joy. Teachers smile inside and out when toddlers are able to pull up their own pants, preschoolers write their names for the first time, or kindergarteners figure out how to make complicated patterns with blocks. Working with young children can also be very…

Secure attachment between child and parent is one of the most important factors in early learning and development--and for children in infant-toddler programs, teachers are a critical third partner in this relationship dance. That's why child care administrators and educators need this warm and practical program guide. An in-depth blueprint for…

What constitutes quality in early childhood settings, and how can it best be measured with today's widely used tools and promising new approaches? Find authoritative answers in this book, a must-have for high-level administrators and policymakers as more and more states adopt early childhood Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. The most…

The Guidelines are focused on the library services to babies and toddlers, their families and supporting organizations dealing with early literacy and appropriate services for the very young. Early brain development research has shown the unequivocal impact that talking, singing and reading to babies and toddlers can have on their acquisition of…

Discusses seven important criteria of successful infant/toddler child care programs. Criteria include: (1) positive interpersonal relationships; (2) a sound philosophical base; (3) clear delineation of policies and procedures; (4) good staff selection, planning, and development; (5) feedback to parents; (6) a strong support base; and (7)…

Parents of 25 infants/toddlers with handicaps were surveyed to gain perspectives on easing the transition from home-based infant programs to preschool programs. Analysis of the results led to 4 major recommendations and a series of steps that infant program staff can follow to facilitate transition to preschool program options. (JDD)

This study compiled descriptive information about what states are doing or planning to do with early intervention data systems, a component of early intervention systems as specified in Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The study examined the uses of data systems in eight states: Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,…

The Parents as First Teachers project successfully teaches Missouri parents to enhance their children's cognitive development. The project recruited 300 first-time parents in its first year, then provided them with educational support and guidance during their children's first three years, while monitoring the children's progress. (PGD)

This handbook for parents and professionals describes Alabama's early intervention and preschool educational system for young children with disabilities. A list of common special education acronyms precedes the guide's four main sections. Section 1, on the state's early intervention system for infants and toddlers, includes the program's purposes…

This document is intended for state level administrators responsible for planning, developing, and implementing policies and services related to the Infant-Toddler Program (Part H) and the Preschool Program (Part B) of the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986. The document is designed to provide a framework for planning and…

Funding difficulties encountered by states in complying with early intervention service requirements of Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (1986) suggest the need for a variety of options to ensure successful long-term implementation. The advantages and disadvantages of three options are detailed: (1) fund all Part H…

Intended for use by childcare center directors, this guide presents the Quick Quality Check, a practical method for measuring and improving the quality of care in infant/toddler classrooms. The four chapters of the guide discuss the specifics of the Quick Quality Check method for both infants and toddlers, including the instrument development, as…

Principles of program evaluation and strategic planning are discussed and applied to a case example of the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Infants and Toddlers Program. This program contended with issues of increased referrals and enrollment, evolution from a child-centered to a family-centered paradigm, and change to community-based provision and…

The report analyzes roles of mental health professionals in implementing Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986, which established the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP). A December, 1987, conference of administrators, clinicians, policymakers, and parent representatives from federal, state, and…

The process of designing a child care center is described. This process includes the conceptual and schematic design, schematic pricing, design development, and construction documents. Overall design criteria, and interior program components, are discussed. (LB)