Tamar Manuelyan Atinc, vice president of The World Bank, introduces a World Bank report, "Investing in Young Children: An Early Childhood Development Guide for Policy Dialogue and Project Preparation". This report, which is a must for inclusion in every advocate's make the case for investing in early childhood services. It defines three arguments…

There is increasing awareness of mental health problems among young children, and early years settings are encouraged to take a wider family support role in order to prevent mental health difficulties. Local population studies are needed to inform delivery of universal through to targeted services. In the current study, parents and teachers of 2%…

The field of early care and education has come a long way in terms of culturally sensitive and anti-bias program implementation. The author has seen some amazing classrooms where talented teachers are embracing diversity, where children are learning to appreciate their own uniqueness and that of others, and everything about the program welcomes…

This article describes the development, implementation, and outcomes of a pilot intervention designed to enhance preschool programs' ability to support children's social-emotional development. Working with two Head Start programs, the intervention included (1) restructuring existing early childhood mental health consultation services; (2) engaging…

This research report examines the Baby TALK model, an innovative early childhood intervention approach used to identify, recruit, and serve young children who are at-risk for developmental delays, mental health needs, and/or school failure, and their families. The report begins with a description of the model. This description is followed by an…

Integrating infant mental health services into early education programs leads to better child outcomes and stronger parent-child relationships--the big question is how to do it appropriately and effectively. Clear answers are in this accessible textbook, created to prepare early childhood professionals and programs to weave best practices in…

This article presents the fifth part in the 12 installment Medical Home series that presents the experiences of a fictitious couple, Amita and Samir, as they learn to adapt to the reality of having a premature baby with special needs. It describes how Amita and Samir begin preparation for their daughter Anjali's enrollment in kindergarten. "EP"…

Across the United States, policy makers and early childhood experts are focusing on implementing and evaluating a range of interventions designed to improve school readiness for young children living in poverty. This article provides an overview of the various factors that threaten optimal development of young children living in poverty and that…

Amid a recession that's squeezing state budgets and pushing more families into poverty, teams of officials from 39 states gathered near Washington last week to explore ways to better meet the educational and health needs of young children. The Sept. 16-18 meeting, sponsored by the National Governors Association, came as the U.S. House of…

This article presents the fourth part in the 12 installment series that presents the experiences of a fictitious couple, Amita and Samir, as they learn to adapt to the reality of having a premature baby with special needs. It describes the services provided by various community resources to children and youth with special healthcare needs and…

This report describes the extent to which maltreated children have developmental problems or are subject to factors associated with poor developmental outcomes, what services these children might be eligible to receive, what factors influence service receipt, and what solutions have been devised to address barriers to service provision. This final…

Screening for maternal depression was a core component of the P.E.A.C.E., Inc., Early Head Start program's comprehensive approach to supporting the mental health needs of low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers. The addition of a mental health coordinator as a full-time staff member created an opportunity to develop a…

Children with vision loss often have health care needs beyond those that are related to their vision. In 2006-2007, the Blind Childrens Center rendered more extensive services than ever before. Home visits, transportation services, medical appointments, hospital visits, mediations, meetings for individual educational/family service plans,…

The original vision of Head Start called for a program that would "get kids ready so they would have a chance in school...a chance in life" (Sargent Shriver; quoted in Zigler and Valentine, 1997, p. 59). President George W. Bush's recent emphasis on literacy and school achievement in Head Start highlights the academic aspect of the Head…

An examination of selected Federal and State policies relating to the support of children with additional needs in early childhood services has highlighted a lack of guiding principles for the accommodation and support of children with chronic illness. Children with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable, as they often do not display the…