This publication presents a framework for early childhood professional development that attempts to build an effective, coordinated system to prepare, support, and recognize the early childhood care and education workforce in Nebraska, so that practitioners can provide high quality programs for young children and their families. The framework is…

Explores developmental implications for fathers of underinvolvement in child care using Erikson's conception of adult development and his emphasis on achieving generativity. Suggests processes by which fathers may develop generativity and outlines challenges they face in achieving it. Suggests that man's involvement in child care may be crucial to…

Argues for developing a storytelling culture in early childhood programs to encourage staff enthusiasm and engagement. Describes five development strategies: (1) descriptive observation; (2) using children's books in staff meetings; (3) creating persona doll stories; (4) using stories from professional literature; and (5) creating visual stories…

Contains two short, experientially oriented articles for caregivers of infants and toddlers. The first promotes and describes gardening options for infants including choice of plants and activities. The second presents coping strategies for toddlers when a change of teacher or caregiver occurs, including development of an effective transition…

Contains seven papers divided into three sections addressing: (1) the application of marketing principles to child care organizations and ways of remedying the negative public image of child care; (2) training child care professionals to develop marketing skills; and (3) successful uses of five basic marketing skills illustrated through four case…

Introduces special issue on the developmental requirements of children and adolescents in relation to the care they receive while they are in non-familial, group living situations. Provides a brief overview of the issue's contents, and advocates a strong role for the central caregiver in group settings. (KH)

Argues that child caregivers in group settings are pivotal in providing charges with attention and interpersonal dependence provided to children in familial settings. Explains why group caregivers must understand child development, and how program planners might take development into account. Discusses child and adolescent developmental stages…

Discusses children's conceptions of their lives "away from home" while they are in residential settings. Focuses on children's notions about family life, home, neighbors, community, and society, employing a developmental framework. Describes how contextual factors (e.g., the surrounding social services network) influence the planning, operation,…

Reviews recent research studies about child development and child care, examining how an understanding of the former can improve the latter. Outlines what is needed for a sense of being personally cared for, focusing on these themes: bodily comfort, sensitivity to personal differences, rhythmatic interactions, predictability, dependability,…

Discusses the interpersonal and organizational underpinnings of group living and residential child care, with group living perceived as an arena for children to practice life's demands. Argues that individual development and change proceed through interpersonal experience and the context in which they occur. (KH)

Parent-child attachment has been extensively confirmed as a central contributing factor to children's positive developmental outcomes. Theory and research imply that the non-parental caregiver is an important figure that may assist parents in the development of a secure attachment relationship with their infants. Specific practices that increase…

Reviews recent research showing that child and parent, or caregiver and care receiver in nonfamilial, group settings, need each other reciprocally and need to find mutual fit. Focuses on stress laid on importance of dependence support, attachment behavior, and mutuality of caregiver and care receiver. Discusses effect of day care and significance…

Evaluates model infant intervention programs, including those that focus on infant tutoring, infant group care, and parent involvement. Presents an overview of theoretical and research bases of infant programs, offers recommendations for evaluation of projects, and discusses the motivations and emotional needs of staff members. (KH)

This manual describes the academic and clinical curricula used for the past several years in a child mental health specialist training program. The materials focus on: (1) philosophy of the training program; (2) skills and competencies needed by child mental health specialists; and (3) orientation activities for the trainees. The program is…

Provides brief case study of a child care worker in a children's residence and describes the following: (1) the personal ingredients of care giving and care receiving; (2) how spatial arrangements influence daily experience; (3) group living as an everyday life experience; and (4) residential life as a prelude to and extension of a child's home…