The authors describe the research and evaluation activities connected to the new Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program. The goal of these activities is to provide information on federal, state, and local efforts to strengthen programs by providing much needed knowledge on the best ways to support the implementation of home…

Evidence-based treatments are increasingly important and necessary parts of many disciplines when working with very young children and their families. In using them, it is advantageous to be grounded in the principles and practices that research has shown are critical to children's healthy development, particularly the importance of supporting the…

The authors contend that the term "evidence-based treatment" (EBT) is often used synonymously with the term "evidence-based practice" (EBP) without making an important distinction. If a practitioner is applying an EBT, it should not be assumed that one is "practicing" the evidence. Within the infant-family and early childhood field, this confusion…

Families with young children attend well-child visits in pediatric primary care settings frequently during the first 3 years of life and receive information and answers to questions about their young child's health and development. Integrating an infant-early childhood mental health and child development specialist into a pediatric primary care…

This article is excerpted from "Who's Watching the Babies? Improving the Quality of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care" by Douglas R. Powell ("ZERO TO THREE," 2008). The article explores questions about program development and implementation strategies for supporting Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers: How do programs and their host…

This article focuses on the experience of "Desirae," a young mother who participated with her children in services at The Children's Ark, an attachment-based intervention for families in foster care. The story of Desirae and her children highlights both the sometimes paradoxical truths about families fractured by addiction, abuse, and neglect and…

The implementation of Part C of IDEA has continued to evolve as states have built and modified service delivery systems. The number of children served has increased dramatically with nearly 350,000 children and their families now receiving early intervention services. Meanwhile, challenges to the provision of quality services--such as securing…

A coordinated, comprehensive approach to early intervention has the potential to promote optimal development and create a brighter future for young children at risk or with disabilities and their families living in poverty. This article outlines the relationship between Early Head Start (EHS) and early intervention (EI) in the areas of child find,…

Just as the early years of a child's development create the architecture for future brain growth, early implementation of federal Part C legislation laid the groundwork for a system of supports for families of infants and toddlers with disabilities. Some aspects of the current legislation provide a sturdy foundation for sound policies and…

As part of a comprehensive system of support for families with young children, home visiting programs help to ensure that families facing obstacles--such as those caused by stress, language barriers, geographic and social isolation, and poverty--receive the support they need to nurture their child's healthy development. Efforts to support home…

The Home Visiting Coalition represents more than 75 organizations working together to articulate the effectiveness of home visiting to a range of policymakers and stakeholders in the early childhood field. Despite varying program goals and service delivery strategies, the Coalition participants share a commitment to expanding access to…

The Virginia Home Visiting Consortium (HVC) is a collaboration of public and private organizations which work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of home visiting services throughout the state. The HVC identified service needs and gaps and has focused on increasing the interagency state and local partnerships so that resources are…

Relationship-based infant mental health home visiting services for infants, toddlers, and their families intensify the connection between the personal and professional. To promote the therapeutic relationship and maximize the effectiveness of the intervention, home visitors must exercise good judgment, in the field and in the moment, to set and…

The evidence of the benefits of home visiting has revealed varying results and little is known about the elements that make programs of value to the families at highest risk for dysfunction. The variability in the effects of home visiting programs is linked to many factors, including program content and goals, the family and community context, the…

Reflective practice and reflective supervision have been the focus of a collaboration among representatives from 14 state infant mental health associations working to enhance competence among infant-family professionals. In particular, this group has worked to examine the fundamental nature of reflective practice, to deepen their understanding of…