A camp serving the New York City area provides year-round support and educationally based experiences for economically disadvantaged children. Evaluations indicate that campers and parents were aware of the psychological, social, and physical benefits of camping; parents and the community benefitted from children's camping experience; and setting…

In prose and art, students and staff from a residential treatment center for troubled children in Columbus, Ohio, express and illustrate the depth of pain that children and their caregivers face in the process of healing from abuse. (Author)

Rather than being nurtured into healthy beings, the children who experience rejection and blame can become discouraged and angry. They respond with escalating, acting-out behavior to the perceived hostile environment. Success with these children requires adults who can live with them in their world without becoming entangled in counteraggression.…

Offers several examples of different cultural perspectives in child rearing values and identifies materials for teachers and caregivers to use as they consider cultural values in their work with children and families. Provides a collection of charts, vignettes, and reference materials used in training workshops and courses. (EV)

Examined relations between nonmaternal child care and maternal sensitivity and child positive engagement ratings during mother-child interaction; infants were between 6 and 36 months old. Found that more child care hours predicted less maternal sensitivity and less positive child engagement. Child care effect sizes were similar to those for…

This training guide is designed to enhance the skills of Head Start staff in nurturing children by attending to them and interacting with them so they are safe as they grow and develop. Each of the guide's modules details module outcomes, key concepts, and background information. Module 1 addresses tuning in to children, focusing on building the…

DART is a New Jersey statewide center for Dissemination, Advocacy, Research, and Training related to infants and toddlers, their families, and caregivers. This article describes the Trainer of Trainers mentoring model adopted by DART to increase the competency of child care supervisors and therefore the quality of care for infants and toddlers. It…

Adults can encourage young children to assimilate and use information through inventing, creating, experimenting, and other activities. This guide, part of the "Seeds for Success" series, provides ideas for parents on being their children's first and most important teacher by means of nearly 100 simple activity ideas designed for use with 3- to…

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) launched the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative to improve systems of care for young children. Early Care and Education (ECE) is one of five critical components in the initiative because early experiences set the foundation for future learning. ECE's importance continues to…

Noting an increasing consensus that meeting care and education goals for infants and toddlers is a societal as well as a family responsibility, this book provides an "educare" curriculum for infants and toddlers, emphasizing both education and care perspectives. Part 1 of the book provides basic principles of good infant and toddler…

This report aims to provide an answer to the question of whether there is an economic justification for public intervention to improve the quality of nonparental child care, especially for lower income families. Evidence from large- and small-scale studies of the effects of child care on children's development is presented, and the economic…

Noting that good feeding practices will prevent malnutrition and early growth retardation, which are still common in some parts of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, this report provides a scientific rationale for the development of national nutrition and feeding recommendations for children from birth to 3 years and presents…

Examined toddlers attention to distress in a daycare setting. Found that crying and screaming, intensity level, caregiver responses in general, and moral causes of distress were related to higher levels of attention by the group. Results had implications in terms of the future of moral education at the preschool level. (SD)

The University of New Mexico Child Care Center implemented a program for the care of infants and toddlers characterized by continuous care by primary caregivers. In addition to expected beneficial consequences for children, the program also produced two unexpected outcomes. Families developed a sense of community and mutual support, and teacher…

Examined pathways to effective teaching among African-American and Latino early childhood teachers serving low-income children. Found that after controlling for formal education, responsive involvement in the field could be predicted by a teacher's staying in the field for the community, being mentored, and being supervised. Engaging in language…