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Infant and Toddler Child Care

The period of birth to age 3 is a time of extraordinary growth and development. Healthy development during these first years lays the foundation for future growth and learning in all domains—cognitive, language, physical, social and emotional, and adaptive development. This development occurs in a complex interaction between inherited factors and the environments infants and toddlers experience at home and in other settings. The following is a sample of Federal projects and national and State organizations that promote quality care of infants and toddlers. The following resources have information that can influence policies that are being developed for care of infants and toddlers.

Federally Funded Projects

  • Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC) @ ZERO TO THREE
    202-638-1144
    World Wide Web: www.ehsnrc.org

    EHS NRC was created in 1995 by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. EHS NRC works to ensure that Early Head Start programs have information and training on a range of topics, including developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive practices for infants and toddlers and their families, effective relationship building with families, and inclusive services for children with special needs. Publications and information resources are also available on a variety of topics, including child development, child health and safety, children with disabilities, family partnerships, and staff development. Information about publications, annotated reviews of print and video materials, research abstracts, and links to related Web sites is available on the Web at www.ehsnrc.org/InformationResources/Index.htm. 

    Program Performance Measures for Head Start Programs Serving Infants and Toddlers (2003), by the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presents the program performance measures framework for Head Start programs serving infants and toddlers. This resource is available on the Web at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/perf_measures/reports/
    prgm_perf_measures/prgm_perf_measure_4pg.pdf    .

  • National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative (NITCCI)
    ZERO TO THREE
    202-638-1144, ext. 625
    Email: itcc@zerotothree.org
    Web: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/itcc

    NITCCI is a service of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Initiative works collaboratively with Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators and other partners in their efforts to move forward system initiatives to improve the quality and supply of infant and toddler child care. The initiative is involved in the following activities:

    • Developing deeper knowledge to support State and Territory efforts in the areas of Quality Rating Systems, infant and toddler credentials, infant and toddler specialist networks, and the standards base of professional development systems;
    • Producing and disseminating materials that States and Territories can use to inform and implement their efforts related to infants and toddlers;
    • Collecting, updating, and disseminating information on infant and toddler child care supply, investments, and initiatives; and
    • Responding to requests for information and technical assistance regarding infant and toddler child care.

National Organizations

  • Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG Institute)
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    919-966-2622
    World Wide Web: www.fpg.unc.edu

    The FPG Institute is a multidisciplinary center for the study of young children and their families. Research and education activities focus on child development and health, especially factors that may put children at risk for developmental problems, such as poverty, health issues, family development, and child care quality, as well as inclusion and children with special needs. It has developed four environmental rating scales, including the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ITERS-R). Information about this scale is available on the Web at www.fpg.unc.edu/~ecers/iters_frame.html.

  • ZERO TO THREE: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
    202-638-1144
    World Wide Web: www.zerotothree.org

    ZERO TO THREE offers resources on the first 3 years of life. Its aim is to strengthen and support families, practitioners, and communities to promote the healthy development of babies and toddlers. ZERO TO THREE provides a variety of programs and services about professional education and program consultation, leadership development, public awareness and parent education, and policy analysis and development. A variety of parenting resources are available, including information about children with special needs, early care and education, the impact of violence on children, infant mental health, and parenting and early development. Resources in Spanish also are available. Information about State and community policies and comprehensive systems of services for infants, toddlers, and their families is available on the Web at www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_statelocal_policy.

State-Funded Infant and Toddler Initiatives

Florida

  • Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy (The Center)
    Institute for Science and Public Affairs
    Florida State University (FSU)
    850-922-1300
    World Wide Web: www.cpeip.fsu.edu/

    The Center focuses on maternal and child health and early childhood issues, and influences public policy by enlarging the knowledge base about families and young children. Its work focuses on practices and policies that prevent poor birth outcomes, build strong families, promote maternal and child health and development, and prevent disabilities. Projects and research related to infants and toddler include the following: FSU Early Head Start, Infant Mental Health, Partners for a Healthy Baby Institute, Racial Disparities in Infant Mortality, and Training Infant and Toddler Trainers in Florida.

    The Partners for a Healthy Baby Curricular Series consists of home-visitation curricula for the prenatal period, the first 6 months of life, and for infants 7 to 12 months old, 13 to 18 months, and 19 to 36 months. It also includes supervisory tools to aid in the administration of home-visitation programs with the Partners for a Healthy Baby Institute. Resources are available in both English and Spanish. Additional information on the series is available on the Web at www.cpeip.fsu.edu/books.cfm?assetID=74.

Georgia

  • Better Brains for Babies (BBB) Initiative
    706-542-7566
    World Wide Web:www.bbbgeorgia.org

    BBB is a Georgia-based collaboration of State, local, public, and private organizations dedicated to promoting awareness and education about the importance of early brain development for the healthy growth and development of infants and young children. BBB shares research on brain development through its Web site, a speakers bureau of trained volunteers who can speak to community organizations and professional groups about brain research, a lending library, and train-the-trainer workshops. A list of partners is available on the Web at www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/bbb/BBB.swf.

State-Funded Infant and Toddler Resources

Maine

  • “Meeting the Needs of Infants and Toddlers” (2005), Child Development and Public Policy Issue Brief Vol. 1, No. 2, by Lynn Davey, Maine Children’s Alliance, summarizes research on infant and toddler child care and development, including research on early relationships, brain development, family composition, socioeconomic status, and child care quality. This resource is available on the Web at www.mainechildrensalliance.org/am/uploads/brief_2.pdf.

Massachusetts

  • The Cost and Quality of Full-Day Year-Round Early Care and Education in Massachusetts Infant and Toddler Classrooms (December 2004), by Nancy L. Marshall, Cindy L. Creps, Joanne Roberts, Federic B. Glantz, and Wendy Wagner Robeson, published by the Center for Research on Women, in the Wellesley Centers for Women provides an accurate, up-to-date picture of the cost and quality of early care and education services for infants and toddlers. Conclusions are based on a random sample of community-based centers serving infants and toddlers on a full-day, full-year basis. This resource is available on the Web at www.wcwonline.org/earlycare/infant-toddlerfinal.pdf.  

Mississippi

  • Right From Birth (December 2000) is a 12-episode television series that leads parents and caregivers through the stages of early childhood from birth to 18 months. It gives practical advice on how adults can prepare children for a lifetime of learning from the day they are born. The series, which is based on the work of  Craig and Sharon Ramey, was developed in 2000 by the Mississippi Broadcasting Network and has aired on more than 127 Public Broadcasting Service stations nationally. VHS videotapes of the series, a caregiver guide, and a facilitator manual support an outreach program that includes facilitator training and community workshops. Several States have replicated this model using materials from this series. Additional information about this television series is available on the Web at www.earlychildhood.msstate.edu/initiatives/right.htm.

Pennsylvania

  • High Quality Child Care for Pennsylvania Infants and Toddlers (2004), by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, provides a summary of initiatives to improve the quality of infant and toddler child care in Pennsylvania. This resource is available on the Web at www.papartnerships.org/pdfs/2004infanttoddler.pdf.

Rhode Island

Additional Publications and Research, Policies, and Data

  • Supporting Growth and Development of Babies in Child Care: What Does the Research Say? (June 2007), by Anne Goldstein, Katie Hamm, and Rachel Schumacher, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy and ZERO TO THREE, outlines research that demonstrates that State policies can promote the quality and continuity of early childhood experiences and positively impact the healthy growth and development of babies and toddlers in child care. This resource is available on the web at www.clasp.org/publications/supporting_babies.pdf.
  • Council Connections to the Earliest Years (2006), by Helene Stebbins, Council of Chief State School Officers, presents more than 40 examples of successful practices in connecting schools to very young children and their families. These examples can assist chief State school officers and their local education partners in establishing policies to support a continuum of services for infants, toddlers, and their families. This resource is available on the Web at www.ccsso.org/content/PDFs/COUNCILconnectionsEARLIESTyears.pdf.
  • Helping the Most Vulnerable Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families (2006), a Pathways to Early School Success Issue Brief No. 1, by Jane Knitzer and Jill Lefkowitz, National Center for Children in Poverty, focuses on the challenges of helping babies and toddlers whose earliest experiences, environments, and relationships expose them to such high and consistent levels of stress that their growing brains cannot integrate their experiences in ways that promote growth and learning. This issue brief describes 10 strategies that can help vulnerable families and promote early school success even in the face of multiple demographic, economic, and parental risk factors. This resource is available on the Web at www.nccp.org/publications/pub_669.html.
  • Starting Off Right: Promoting Child Development from Birth in State Early Care and Education Initiatives (2006), by Rachel Schumacher, Katie Hamm, Anne Goldstein, and Joan Lombardi, published by the Center for Law and Social Policy, provides background data on infants and toddlers and their participation in early care and education. It also outlines a framework and highlights State examples of policy initiatives to promote child development from birth to age 3 and State governance and funding strategies to support birth to 3 policies; suggests key steps and considerations for State leaders; and discusses emerging themes that cut across birth to 3 early care and education policy issues. This resource is available on the Web at www.clasp.org/ChildCareAndEarlyEducation/StartingOffRight/5008_Clasp.pdf. In-depth information on the State initiatives in Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, and Pennsylvania is available on the Web at www.clasp.org/publications/state_infanttoddler_profiles.htm.
  • “Impact of Training and Education for Caregivers of Infants and Toddlers” (August 2005), a Research-to-Policy Connections Brief No. 3, by J. Lee Kreader, Daniel Ferguson, and Sharmila Lawrence, published by Child Care & Early Education Research Connections, explores approaches to caregiver training and education that are the most likely to improve the quality of care for children younger than age 3 in family child care homes and centers. It describes research findings on a small number of training initiatives targeting infant and toddler caregivers where quality was observed before and after training. This resource is available on the Web at www.nccp.org/publications/pub_625.html.
  • “Infant and Toddler Child Care Arrangements” (August 2005), a Research-to-Policy Connections Brief No. 1, by J. Lee Kreader, Daniel Ferguson, and Sharmila Lawrence, published by Child Care & Early Education Research Connections, uses information from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort and the National Survey of America’s Families, 2002 to explore what care arrangements American parents make for their infants and toddlers while parents are at work, school, or otherwise unavailable to provide care themselves. It also describes the factors that influence the types of care arrangements made for children younger than age 3 years. This resource is available on the Web at http://childcareresearch.org/SendPdf?resourceId=6871.
  • “Infant and Toddler Child Care Quality” (August 2005), a Research-to-Policy Connections Brief No.2, by J. Lee Kreader, Daniel Ferguson, and Sharmila Lawrence, published by Child Care & Early Education Research Connections, identifies factors that tend to predict higher quality within arrangement types—family child care, center care, and relative care—and describes the range of quality found in each type. This resource is available on the Web at www.childcareresearch.org/SendPdf?resourceId=6872.
  • Children Born in 2001: First Results from the Base Year of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) (November 2004), by National Center for Education Statistics, provides descriptive information about children born in the United States in 2001. It presents information on certain child and family characteristics, on children’s mental and physical skills, on children’s first experiences in child care, and on the fathers of these children. The report profiles data from a nationally representative sample of children approximately 9 months of age, both overall, and for various subgroups (i.e., male and female, children from different racial/ethnic groups, and children living in different types of families). This resource is available on the Web at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005036.   
  • “Infant/Toddler Rules to Assure Early Education and Strong Relationships” (2004), Do States Require Child Care Programs to Educate Children? Report No. 3, by Sarah LeMoine and Gwen Morgan, published by the Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting, examines the infant/toddler rules that were part of generic center rules, and also the separate infant and toddler rules, as of January 1, 2004. Ratios and group sizes, as of February 6, 2004, are listed at the end of this report. This resource is available on the Web at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/docs/cc-educate/report3.pdf.
  • “Continuity of Caregiver for Infants and Toddlers” (December 2003), an ERIC Digest, by Debby Cryer, Sarah Hurwitz, and Mark Wolery, published by the Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting, examines the theory and research of continuity of caregivers for infants and toddlers, as well as implementation of the practice. This resource is available on the Web at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/2003/cryer03.pdf.
  • Quality Child Care for Infants and Toddlers: Case Studies of Three Community Strategies: Final Report, April 2003 (April 2003), by Diane Paulsell, Renee Nogales, and Julie Cohen, published by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., highlights findings from three types of child care initiatives located in four diverse communities. The purpose of the initiatives was to improve low-income families’ access to good-quality care for infants and toddlers. The study initiatives included the following programs: the Community Consolidated Child Care Pilot Services Program in El Paso County, Colorado; State-Sponsored Early Head Start Programs in Kansas City, Kansas and Sedalia, Missouri; and Mountain Area Child and Family Centers in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The focus was on how to pay for infant and toddler child care and how to ensure the provision of high-quality care. This resource is available on the Web at www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/qualchildhlth.pdf.
  • Partnerships for Quality: Improving Infant-Toddler Child Care for Low-Income Families (March 2002), by Diane Paulsell, Julie Cohen, Ali Stieglitz, Erica Lurie-Hurvitz, Emily Fenichel, and Ellen Kisker, published by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and ZERO TO THREE, for the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presents the first-year findings from a study on the range of strategies communities employ to increase the supply, and enhance the quality of, infant and toddler child care that is accessible to low-income families. The research questions address five broad themes: quality, affordability, State policies, barriers faced by families, and challenges to collaboration. This resource is available on the Web at www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/partnership.pdf.

Updated June 2007