Decisions being made on Capitol Hill and in state capitals may seem remote from the experiences of early childhood professionals, but policymakers have a big impact on babies and families. Early childhood professionals and parents bring key expertise and passion to policy advocacy and have a powerful role to play. This article identifies the…

While changing demographics reflect an increasingly multicultural and multilingual U.S. population, Latinos continue to experience under-representation and lack of recognition inconsistent for such a growing segment of the U.S. population. Latinos face a myriad of inequities across systems that impact early childhood development and that continue…

A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the evidence related to the effectiveness of baby sign language for children with typical development. This response to a Commentary on the review stresses that the primary purpose of the review was to assist caregivers and policy makers with informed decision-making related to the benefits of the…

In late 2005, individuals from across the country traveled to attend the national Office of Special Education Conference on Early Childhood in Washington, DC. Connected by networking at the conference, a group of parents with children with special needs left committed to collaboratively formulate a plan to create a family-centered and…

The authors use the creation and implementation of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as a lens through which to view evolving public policy toward infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, and ZERO TO THREE's growing sophistication and impact in the policy arena. Beginning in 1986, P.L. 99-457 (later renamed…

Resilience is the ability to thrive, mature, and increase competence in the face of adverse circumstances. Recent research has uncovered personal and environmental characteristics that contribute to resilience during infancy and toddlerhood, as well as characteristics that predict resilience in later years. Resilient infants and toddlers are…

This brief paper summarizes data from a survey of state coordinators of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act concerning service coordination to infants and toddlers with disabilities. The survey examined variations in service coordination at the state level including roles of parents, values of key stakeholders, sources of…

This report discusses family policy issues raised by the implementation of Public Law 99-457, Part H, the Infants and Toddlers section of the Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986. The report is the outcome of a policy options work conference in which a small group of knowledgeable parents and professionals identified key policy issues.…

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…

Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICCs) have been established in most states to coordinate services to infants and toddlers with special needs and their families. This descriptive study examined the 40 Kansas LICCs, in order to understand the councils' developmental progress and current needs and to gain insight into broader issues of…

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…

This policy brief begins with a broad overview of what the science of early childhood development tells us about the first three years of life. It then outlines the actions that need to be taken during the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to increase the likelihood that policy decisions are guided by state…

This commentary identifies contributing influences and current issues that may be common across countries and defines potential elements of a universal manifesto on early intervention, including: recognition of individual differences, personalized interventions, involvement of families, support of families, comprehensive assessment, and provision…

Federal legislation for infants and toddlers with handicapping conditions and their families (Part H of Public Law 99-457) calls for a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive early intervention services. The legislation calls for an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) to be appointed by the Governor of each state, to participate in the…