An understanding of the close link between federal policy and family homelessness is critical for ensuring that one day no child in the United States is homeless. This article discusses the nature of family homelessness, the national policy framework that exists to help vulnerable families, the homeless assistance system that federal policy has…

There are numerous ways that the needs of infants and toddlers can be met through legislation and other policies considered by the Congress or the administration. The ZERO TO THREE Policy Center translates scientific research into language and tools that policymakers can use to develop more effective policies. This document outlines ways…

The author argues that the curriculum in early childhood classrooms that serve American Indian and Alaska Native children must be grounded in community values, set in their societal context, and rooted in the rhythms of community life. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Head Start developed a curriculum framework…

The author describes the experience of becoming a teen mother in 1966.

Sharon Crane is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience working with children and families. "Zero to Three" interviews her to discuss how occupational therapy may move beyond a strictly therapeutic orientation toward services that address wellness and prevention. Crane has created programs for parents and…

The author observes that environmental science is finding that industrial chemicals act like pharmaceuticals: a dose that won't hurt an adult can harm a fetus or a child; an amount that won't harm the mother can hurt her child in utero; some people are more sensitive than others to the effect; and one substance can interact with others and cause a…

In this article Tortora, a dance therapist, interviews Myron Hofer, director of the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Columbia University. Dr. Hofer has spent decades studying how the mother's behaviors and actions shape and regulate the physiological, neurophysiological, and psychological functioning of her babies--specifically,…

Jennifer Boss, Senior Program Associate at ZERO TO THREE, spoke with three infant mental health consultants who worked with three different Early Head Start programs as part of the Pathways to Prevention (PTP) initiative. The interviews particularly focused on how to infuse technology into consultation arrangements that center around building and…

The first five years of life are a period of profound growth and change as children begin to speak, think, reason, and feel. Brain research has found that both children's experiences and their relationships with others influence this early development in important and lasting ways. For local governments, the first five years represent a critical…