FINDING
THE BEST CARE FOR YOUR INFANT AND TODDLER -- A guide to making informed
choices about the options for caring for infants and toddlers.
CHOOSING
QUALITY CHILD CARE -- Addresses the basic principles as outlined in
the manual, Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Groups: Developmentally Appropriate
Practice, which apply to young children in all types of child care (in home
and out).
MATCHING
YOUR INFANT'S OR TODDLER'S STYLE TO THE RIGHT CHILD CARE SETTING --
A brochure that guides you in using what you know about your baby -- personal
style, activity level, need for social interaction, and tolerance -- to
select a child care setting that's right for him or her. Information also
is included on considering issues such as health and safety, sleep, cultural
identity, and special needs. NOTE: You can access this information by clicking
on the link "Choosing Child Care that Fits Your Child."
CHILD
CARE: IS IT GOOD OR BAD FOR CHILDREN -- Information about the best age
to place children in child care, attachment, bonding, child care centers
vs. family homes, how child care may affect your child's health, etc.
DEVELOPMENTALLY
APPROPRIATE CARE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? -- This article looks at
the meaning of developmentally appropriate care; appropriate care for infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers; developmentally appropriate equipment and space
guidelines; developmentally appropriate care to prepare your child for school;
and general features of developmentally appropriate care.
WHEN
BABIES AND TODDLERS ARE IN CHILD CARE, ACCREDITATION IS A KEY TO QUALITY
-- This article addresses brain development, learning and development during
the early years, the importance of accreditation in ensuring quality infant
and toddler care, what it means when a child care center is NAEYC-accredited,
and the process of receiving NAEYC accreditation.
CHILD
CARE FOOD: IS IT NUTRITIOUS AND SAFE? -- This article presents basic
questions about food you should ask when you are selecting child care for
infants and toddlers.
TODDLER TALES:
19-21 MONTHS -- A series of publications about one-year-olds. This issue
addresses many topics, including child care for your toddler. It discusses
different types of child care options; what to look for in child care centers,
family child care homes, and preschool settings; and easing the transition
into child care settings.
MAKING
GOODBYES EASIER FOR CHILDREN AND PARENTS -- This article looks at the
reasons young children experience anxiety when separated from their parents
and suggests things parents can do to make separations easier for themselves
and their children.
FAST
FACTS ON CARING FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS -- This article looks at major
findings from a report on how families and society care for children under
age three. The information was published in the Spring/Summer 2001 issue
of The Future of Children, a publication of The David and Lucile Packard
Foundation. The findings address the importance of the first three years
of life, the percentage of young children in child care settings, work as
an economic necessity, the struggle to balance the desire to be home with
young children with the demands of work, the expense and quality of child
care options for working and low-income parents, and promising models emerging
to support parents as they raise young children.
CHILD CARE BULLETIN:
INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN CHILD CARE -- An issue of the bulletin focusing
on infant and toddlers in child care. Includes information on promoting
quality care for infants and toddlers, caring for infants with special needs,
designing group care environments for infants and toddlers, initiatives
across the country in infant and toddler care, credentials for infant and
toddler caregivers, national study of early child care examining different
care settings, hazardous used cribs, and specialized training for infant
and toddler caregivers.
BETTER BABY CARE -- The Better
Baby Care Campaign is a nationwide effort to improve the early care of infants
and toddlers while their parents are working, in school, or in need of out-of-home
services. The campaign seeks to work in collaboration with existing national,
state and local organizations to bring attention to the issues and to improve
the policies that govern the quality of care, and parent education, family
support, paid family leave and related policies. The web site provides information
on the campaign, facts and research findings on infant & toddler care, and
resources for better baby care (resources on health & safety, family-centered
care, developmentally appropriate care, and state and local initiatives).
BETTER
KID CARE: CARING FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS -- This video covers books
for babies, how children learn as they grow, activities for infants, learning
by watching, toddlers are terrific, and feeding and eating. Part of the
Better Kid Care series.
THE
FUTURE OF CHILDREN: CARING FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS -- Volume 11, Number
1 - Spring/Summer 2001 Issue. This issue includes the following articles:
Caring for Infants and Toddlers: Analysis and Recommendations, Development
in the First Years of Life, Child Care and Our Youngest Children, Caring
for Our Youngest: Public Attitudes in the United States, Employer Supports
for Parents with Young Children, Federal and State Efforts to Improve Care
for Infants and Toddlers, International Policies Toward Parental Leave and
Child Care, Reports from the Field: Family and Medical Leave: Making Time
for Family Is Everyone's Business, Reports from the Field: Child Care Within
the Family, Reports from the Field: The Military Child Care Connection,
Reports from the Field: Early Head Start for Low-Income Families with Infants
and Toddlers, Reports from the Field: Starting Points: State and Community
Partnerships for Young Children, and Reports from the Field: Implementation
of California's Children and Families First Act of 1998.
WHO'S CARING FOR
OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN? CHILD CARE PATTERNS OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS --
This report looks at a study of child care that used the National Survey
of America’s Families (NSAF) to present national findings on the types of
care, hours in care, and the numbers of child care arrangements used for
children under age 3 of working mothers. The paper also looks at how these
aspects of care differ depending on characteristics of the children and
families. Because of the frequent use of relative care settings for this
age group, an in-depth view of some key characteristics of these arrangements
is also provided.
SECURE
RELATIONSHIPS: NURTURING INFANT/TODDLER ATTACHMENT IN EARLY CARE SETTINGS
-- Alice Honig, with her vast experience and deep knowledge of research
and theory, distills key points needed in understanding and building attachment.
For healthy adjustment in childhood and later in life, infants and toddlers
need secure attachments to the adults who care for them. Loving, responsive,
and consistent care from primary caregivers is key to young children learning
to form relationships. This book contains vital information and sound advice
for caregivers and parents.
BRAINNET: FOR PARENTS
AND CAREGIVERS -- Things parents and caregivers can do to support infants'
and toddlers' brain development. Includes information on child care.
NEW
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EVEN FOR INFANTS, TODDLERS BETTER-QUALITY CARE BOOSTS
THINKING, LANGUAGE SKILLS -- This article looks at a study by University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The research offers support for the view
that quality indeed makes a difference and is worth the investment. The
investigators at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center found
that even infants and toddlers in superior child care were more likely to
show better intellectual and language skills and learn language faster than
others in poor quality care.
CHILD
CARE: RAISING CHILDREN TOGETHER -- This fact sheet discusses issues
that parents and child care providers will more than likely encounter while
a child is in child care and how parents and providers can work through
them together. Issues include toilet learning, biting, eating habits, holidays,
and children's misbehavior.
EDUCATING
AND CARING FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN: THE INFANT/TODDLER CURRICULUM --
Based on up-to-date research, this book is an essential tool for early childhood
educators, administrators, parents, and all involved in the care and development
of young children.
HOW DOES INFANT
AND TODDLER CARE MEASURE UP? -- The Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers
Study (CQ&O) measured the details of quality of early childhood programs
around the country. In "Quality Details: A Close-Up Look at Child Care Program
Strengths and Weaknesses," (Young Children, July 1997), Debby Cryer and
Leslie Phillipsen summarized the study's results to help practitioners take
an objective look at how well they are meeting the needs of the children
in their care. This article presents their findings related to infant and
toddler programs.
A
CARING PLACE FOR YOUR TODDLER -- A brochure published by the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Child care providers
can use this publication to communicate the developmentally appropriate
approach that characterizes their program. It describes key areas of toddlers'
development, suggests the basic educational approach that helps children
learn and thrive, and details what parents should look for in an early childhood
program.
TODDLER
CURRICULUM: MAKING CONNECTIONS -- This video examines how toddlers,
12 to 36 months of age, develop and learn. It depicts developmentally appropriate
curriculum in the toddler classroom.
THE PROGRAM FOR INFANT/TODDLER CAREGIVERS
-- The mission of PITC is to promote responsive, caring relationships for
infants and toddlers. The web site includes Powerpoint slide shows; a list
of products, including videos, guides, and manuals; and information on module
training institutes. The institutes are offered to educators, program managers,
and other professionals responsible for training caregivers. These intensive
sessions help trainers deepen their understanding of each module's content
and acquire skills in the integrated presentation of the concepts in the
PITC videos and guides. Upon completing the certification requirements,
participants receive a certificate of completion that recognizes them as
trainers for the specific module in which they receive training.
INFANT/TODDLER
ENVIRONMENT RATING SCALE -- The Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale
(ITERS) was developed especially for the assessment of infant/toddler group
care. The ITERS consists of 35 items which assess the quality of center-based
child care for children up to 30 months of age. This 35 item scale covers
seven categories: Furnishings and Display for Children, Personal Care Routines,
Listening and Talking, Learning Activities, Interaction, Program Structure,
and Adult Needs.
CHILD
CARE THAT WORKS: CHILD CARE CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS -- This publication
includes the following information: Know Your Options, Five Steps to Selecting
Good Child Care, and If Problems Arise.
STATE
CHILD CARE LICENSURE REGULATIONS -- A comprehensive listing of child
care licensing requirements for each state. State contacts are provided.
GOOD TIMES WITH CHILD CARE -- This resource is a training curriculum for
child care providers. Resources included in the curriculum are listed below.
Each resource provides "ages & stages" information that addresses the needs
of toddlers.
Good Times at Mealtime
-- Addresses many different aspects of providing appropriate and pleasant
mealtimes with children, including age-appropriate expectations for children.
Good Times at
Parties -- Gives information that will help caregivers plan parties
for special occasions that are appropriate to the age of the children involved.
Suggestions are made for planning and for activities that children will
enjoy.
Good Times at Play
-- Providers learn about the value of play for children's development and
how to plan appropriate play experiences for young children.
Good Times Being
Creative -- Gives caregivers information about the importance of creative
experiences in young children's development. The authors give ages and stages
information about creativity in children at different ages, from birth through
age 9. Suggestions are given for activities that will enhance children's
creativity through art, music, and pretending, including recipes for finger
paints and play doughs.
Good Times with
Guidance & Discipline -- Discusses misbehavior typical of different
ages of children and the guidance and discipline strategies that are most
effective with each group. Suggested activities are included for extending
the ideas provided in the text.
Good Times with
Health & Safety -- Contains information on how to help children of all
ages grow up safely.
Good Times with
Music & Rhythm -- Focuses on music and rhythm. Includes teaching tips
and how to make homemade musical instruments.
Good Times with
Snacks -- Provides information on snack time, including what are snacks,
why are they important, how you can help, and learn by doing.
Good Times
with Special Children -- Helps caregivers understand the definition
of "special needs." The authors discuss various categories of special needs
and how caregivers can support and provide care for children with each type
of special need, and suggests resources that specifically address the needs
of those children.
Good Times with
Toys -- Gives information about selecting appropriate toys and play
materials for children from birth through age nine. The authors give information
about the value of toys (including a short discussion about the value of
TV) as well as suggestions for interacting with children as they play with
toys.
Good
Times with Toddlers -- This fact sheet describes characteristics of
toddlers and ways that caregivers can encourage their development.