Early Childhood Programs

Early childhood programs aim to improve outcomes for young children and their families by offering support services such as child health and development assessments, early education and care, referral to community resources, and more. Use the following resources to learn more about selected early childhood programs.

• Supporting the workforce
• Evaluation
• State and local examples

Center on the Developing Child
Harvard University
Generates, translates, and applies knowledge to enhance well-being and support positive life outcomes for children.

An Early Childhood Education and Support Intervention for Kinship Families
Littlewood, Strozier, & Whittington (2014)
Children and Youth Services Review, 38
View Abstract
Highlights outcomes from the Kin As Teachers (KAT) Program, an early childhood education program specifically designed for children living with a grandparent or other relative. Implications for social work practiceand recommendations for ways social workers and early childhood educators can better support kinship caregiving families are included.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families
Provides a Head Start directory as well as resources on child health and development, family and community partnerships, program design and management, professional development, and more.

Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Presents accreditation criteria focusing on four areas: children, teaching staff, partnerships, and administration. The website includes steps and requirements for accreditation as well as information for programs, assessors, and facilitation projects.

Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC)
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families
Creates and disseminates information on comprehensive early childhood programs and provides professional development opportunities to the Early Head Start and Head Start community.

Frameworks for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood: Description and Implications (PDF - 734 KB)
Pretti-Fronttczak, Carta, Dropkin, Fox, Grisham-Brown, Edwards, Sandall, et al. (2013)
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, National Association for the Education of Young Children, & National Head Start Association
Presents early childhood professionals with a broad definition and description of the features of response to intervention frameworks as they are evolving in early childhood programs, describes common misconceptions about response to intervention frameworks in early childhood policy and practice, and identifies future directions related to response to intervention research and practice in early childhood.

Invest in Kids Working Group
Partnership for America's Economic Success
Examines and documents the economic benefits of investments in young children and explores policies to finance expansion of such services.

Key Findings From a 2009 National Parent Survey: Implications for Infant-Toddler Public Policy (PDF - 42 KB)
ZERO TO THREE (2010)
Explores issues and challenges that parents of young children confront today, where gaps in knowledge of early development exist, what sources of information and support these parents turn to, and what factors influence their approach to parenting.

National Association for the Education of Young Children
Serves and acts on behalf of the needs, rights, and well-being of all young children with primary focus on providing educational and developmental services and resources.

Project LAUNCH
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Describes a grant program designed to promote the wellness of children ages birth to 8 years by focusing on their physical, emotional, social, and behavioral development. The website provides State and Tribal evidence-based practices and strategies for building infrastructure and improving methods for providing services and coordination among child-serving systems.

Protecting the Youngest: The Role of Early Care and Education in Preventing and Responding to Child Maltreatment (PDF - 239 KB)
National Conference of State Legislatures (2007)
Discusses policy options for States to consider to support early care and education programs in protecting young children and preventing abuse and neglect.