"My 1st Year" and "Discovering Feelings" Books can be used by parents, caregivers and consultants. They are designed to help adults better understand a baby's development, recognize important milestones and in helping to label a young child’s feelings.
The ideas and strategies outlined below are available in a variety of formats. They include Twitter postings ("tweets"), classroom activities, and supplemental materials that can be sent home for families to do at home.
Caregivers and parents have unique temperaments. Adult-child compatibility can affect the quality of their relationships. Use this chart to discover your traits and those of the children you work with.
A crisis is a period of heightened family tension and imbalance that requires quick staff identification. Head Start staff who work with families will find this information useful in understanding what brings about crises for families. Just as a crisis is an opportunity for a family, it is also an opportunity for staff to make a real difference in the life of a Head Start family
The What Works Brief is a continuing series of easy-to-read, "how to" information packets on a variety early learning practices. Program managers and in-service providers may find this resource useful in meeting professional development needs. This brief discusses children’s emotional literacy and illustrates practical intervention strategies for early childhood settings and home environments
All young children benefit when their caregivers are healthy and not too stressed or depressed. Explore practical tools to help caregivers build positive relationships with their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and reduce stress.
This resource offers data to support the importance of investing in early childhood mental health consultation. Programs may use the resources in this tool kit as a guide in designing and implementing effective mental health services for families.
This tool supports parents and caregivers in understanding temperament. Discover simple best practice tips adults can use to foster the unique temperament of each child.
Explore Family Connections, a preventive, systemwide mental health consultation and training approach to strengthen the capacity of Early Head Start and Head Start staff. Staff can use these resources in working with families dealing with parental depression and related adversities.
Use this case study in trainings with mental health consultants, education supervisors, and other early childhood staff. Learn to observe and recognize children's temperance temperament traits and determine if the child-caregiver relationship is a good fit.