Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) early intervention services utilizes a family-based model of support for families of infants and toddlers with disabilities. Family-based services stem from the research of parent-child interactions as the primary means for developmental growth. This article will advocate strategies…

The Community-Based Family Administered Neonatal Activities (C-B FANA; Cardone, Gilkerson, & Wechsler, 2005) offers home visitors and expectant parents a new way to be together during the unfolding months before birth. Adapted from the hospital-based Family Administered Neonatal Activities (FANA; Cardone & Gilkerson, 1990), the C-B FANA…

When low-income women become parents for the first time, they often need support, education and encouragement to be the best parent they can be. They truly want to succeed. Desire, unfortunately, is not enough. These women are usually most open to health care assistance, parenting tools, and a therapeutic relationship with a community health…

In the current context, barriers to student attendance and engagement have only increased. Schools and districts are encouraged to emphasize a supportive multi-tiered model for supporting student and staff engagement and attendance rather than punitive attendance or truancy policies. Leadership teams will need to be aware of and adjust policy and…

Many professionals in the early childhood field are inspired by community-driven initiatives that hold great promise for transforming outcomes for the youngest children and their families. However, most collective impact efforts are mobilized in large urban areas, where early childhood professionals and civic leaders take the lead. New Mexico has…

This National Head Start Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for preschool-age children served by Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start. Data categories include: (1) Funded Enrollment; (2) Funded Enrollment by…

More than one in four children in Tennessee live in poverty, and in Nashville the number creeps higher to one in three (Kids Count Data Center, 2012). Nearly three out of every four children in Metro Nashville Public Schools qualify for free and reduced lunch and are considered at risk (Tennessee Department of Education, 2013). This concentration…

Too often in California, children (especially children of color, foster youth, and those growing up in poverty) lack the components critical for a healthy early life. For example, as few as 3% of families that might benefit from voluntary home visiting have access to home visiting programs, 32% of children entering foster care are under the age of…

The State Family Outcomes Measurement System Framework (S-FOMS) is a framework originally developed by the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center that identifies seven key components of a high-quality family outcomes measurement system at the state level. This document contains background information about the framework's seven components, 15…

This article weaves the stories of three practitioner-family relationships and describes how the Parent-Child Relationship Competencies (PCRCs; St. John, 2010) function as a map for assessment and treatment planning. The PCRCs are a set of culturally variable yet universal bi-directional (parent-to-child and child-to-parent) relational capacities…

Support for parents who wish to develop communication skills is critical. When parents have communication with their children, they are better able to express their concerns, expectations, and support. Bonding with children--and their social, emotional, cognitive, and linguistic development--depends on communication with those who love them. This…

This National Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for children from birth to age five and pregnant women served by Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start.…

This Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for children from birth to age five and pregnant women served by all Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start.…

Research shows that children's home environment and their parents' expectations, aspirations, and beliefs can greatly affect their attitudes toward mathematics and level of achievement (Fan 2001; Sheldon and Epstein 2005). Furthermore, parental involvement at school can result in higher levels of student academic achievement (Lee and…

The Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) is arguably one of the most extensive extended education approaches established to date. It has sought to create a seamless programme of support for children living in Harlem, from birth to early adulthood, in family, school and community settings. The evidence on HCZ's impacts is limited, but its approach…