eNotes
July 29, 2016In this Issue:
- Including Relationship-Based Care Practices in Infant-Toddler Care Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation - July 26, 2016
- New Guidance on Education for Homeless Children Released Source: U.S. Department of Education - July 27, 2016
- Dear Colleague Letter and Resource Guide on Students with ADHD Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights - July 26, 2016
- Approved FY 2016-2018 Child Care and Development Fund Plans and FAQ Available Online Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care - June 30, 2016
- The Influence of Health Care Policies on Children's Health and Development Source: Society for Research in Child Development - Social Policy Report, 29(4), 2016
- Exploring Pre-K Age 4 Learning Standards and Their Role in Early Childhood Education Source: Wiley Online Library - Early View - April 29, 2016
1. Including Relationship-Based Care Practices in Infant-Toddler Care
A new brief, Including Relationship-Based Care Practices in Infant-Toddler Care: Implications for Practice and Policy (2016), describes the research supporting a focus on relationships in infant and toddler care, emphasizing two specific relationship-based care supports: primary caregiving and continuity of care. The brief also presents practice considerations for adopting or enhancing relationship-based care practices, and discusses the implications of state standards for incorporating these practices into programs that serve infants and toddlers.
2. New Guidance on Education for Homeless Children Released
New guidance is available to assist state and local partners in implementing the provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for supporting homeless children and youth, including preschool-aged homeless children. The guidance clarifies requirements of Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which was re-authorized in December 2015 by the ESSA. The McKinney-Vento Act includes, among other things, new or changed requirements focused on preschool-aged homeless children, including clarification that local liaisons must ensure that these children and their families have access to and receive services, if eligible, under preschool programs administered by the local education agency (LEA), including Head Start, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities), and other LEA-administered preschool programs.
The new guidance is part of a series of guidance documents that is being released related to new provisions in the ESSA.
3. Dear Colleague Letter and Resource Guide on Students with ADHD
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter and Resource Guide clarifying the obligation of schools to provide students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with equal educational opportunity under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The new guidance provides a broad overview of Section 504 and school districts' obligations to provide educational services to students with disabilities, including students with ADHD. The Department has also released a new Know Your Rights document that provides a brief overview of schools' obligations to students with ADHD.
4. Approved FY 2016-2018 Child Care and Development Fund Plans and FAQ Available Online
Copies of all approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-2018 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plans, which became effective June 1, 2016, were recently posted to the Office of Child Care (OCC) Web site. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 brought historic changes to the CCDF program by defining health and safety requirements for child care providers, outlining family-friendly eligibility policies, and ensuring parents and the general public have transparent information about the child care choices available to them. The CCDF Plans offer a snapshot into current and planned efforts, initiatives and implementation plans for each State/Territory through September 30, 2018. See also, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (June 30, 2016) about the CCDF Plans.
5. The Influence of Health Care Policies on Children's Health and Development
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) recently published a new Social Policy Report, The Influence of Health Care Policies on Children's Health and Development (2016). The report looks at how health care policies influence child health and development, reviews the current state of health insurance for children and families in America, describes new models of health care, including models that connect health care with other community services, and discusses new promising strategies in child health care.
6. Exploring Pre-K Age 4 Learning Standards and Their Role in Early Childhood Education
A recently published report, Exploring Pre-K Age 4 Learning Standards and Their Role in Early Childhood Education: Research and Policy Implications (2016), presents findings from a national study of pre-K age 4 learning standards. The study used surveys, focus groups and interviews to gain a better understanding of issues related to the purpose, history, development, and comprehensiveness of early learning standards, professional development related to the standards, diversity represented in the standards, alignment of pre-K standards with kindergarten standards, and the issue of national pre-K age 4 standards. The full report is freely available online.