General Resources

Child and Adolescent Development

Mental Health Net's list of Internet resources on child development, including web sites, Internet mailing lists and newsgroups, online professional journals, professional organizations and centers and behavior checklists.

 

Children Now

Children Now is a nonpartisan, independent group which uses research and mass media to generate positive change on behalf of children. Access to their newsletter is provided, and a "Directory of Children's Issues on the World Wide Web" offers close to 300 links to related websites.

 

Early Childhood.com

"A place for getting advice from experts in the early childhood field, expanding your collection of creative projects, and sharing ideas and questions with the early childhood community." Use their "Child Care Locator" to find names and contact information for child care and pre-school programs in your neighborhood. (Sponsored by a school supply company.)

 

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood

Education

Offers links to ERIC/EECE publications as well as to other education sites and other parts of the ERIC [Educational Resources in Education] system.

 

Early Childhood Education On Line

Offers an Early Childhood Education On Line Listserv (ECEOL-L) as well as links to many other web sites. Topics covered include observation and assessment, curriculum and environments, developmental guidelines, and professional development, among others.

 

Early Years are Learning Years

Short articles on preschool education, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

 

Facts for Families

Fact sheets from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry offer concise and up-to-date information on child and adolescent development and issues concerning the behavioral, mental or developmental disorders that may affect children and adolescents.

 

The Future of Children

A publication of the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, each issue focuses on a different topic. Recent issues include: Children and Managed Health Care, Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect, Financing Schools, Children and Poverty and others.

 

I Am Your Child

Information for parents and caregivers about early childhood development. Special emphasis on the first three years of life.

 

Idea Box - Early Childhood Education and Activity Resources

This commercial site offers many ideas for activities, games, songs, crafts, and recipes. Each one indicates time required, appropriate ages and whether adult help is needed. Also offers a bulletin board where teachers and parents can exchange ideas on a wide variety of topics.

 

National Network for Child Care

Offers many links to information on child care topics, including child care curriculum, child development, disability, diversity, licensing and business aspects of child care.

 

NNCC Child Development Database

From the National Network for Child Care. Ages covered: Infant, Toddler, Pre-School and School Age. Other topics include Emotional & Social Development, and Brain Development.

 

Pediatric Points of Interest

A searchable collection of links to resources in Pediatrics and Child Health from the Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. Much of the information is intended for health care professionals, but the site also includes links to parenting resources, how to protect your child on the Internet, and other information of interest to parents and child caregivers.

 

U.S. Dept. of Education Publications for Parents

An online series of pamphlets for helping your child learn math, reading, history, etc.

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Reggio Emilia

Web sites and documents related to the approach to early childhood education developed in the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Includes digests of ERIC documents, a directory of schools, contact information, information on conferences, bibliographies and links to related websites.

 

California Child Care Health Program

"The California Child Care Health Program (CCHP) is "dedicated to enhancing the quality of child care for California's children by initiating and strengthening linkages among the health, safety and child care communities and the families they serve." Copies of its newsletter, fact sheets and curriculum materials are included here, as well as descriptions of its projects and campaigns. Also provides links to related Internet sites.

 

ChildStats.gov

This web site offers easy access to federal and state statistics and reports on children and their families, including population and family characteristics, economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education.

 

California Department of Social Services, Children and Family Services Division

"The Division is responsible for designing and overseeing an array of programs and services for California's at-risk families and children, providing a statewide system for out-of-home care providers and appropriate services to children in out-of-home care, and facilitation of adoptions for children who need permanent homes. " Web site offers information on adoption and foster care, family/community services, child development and education, and other related topics.

 

Child Abuse Prevention Network

From the Family Life Development Center at Cornell University.

 

Child Development Policy Advisory Committee

Information on children's programs and policies related to child care and development in California

 

Children, Stress and Natural Disasters: a Guide for Teachers

Covers what children may be experiencing, their responses to disasters, implications for teachers, and school activities related to disasters.

 

Children's Defense Fund

"CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America, [with] particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities." The website offers news, statistics, articles and reports, job information and links to other web sites.

 

Children's Literature Web Guide

Information on award winning childrens' books and authors; resource lists for parents, teachers, storytellers and writers; book reviews; and discussion forums for those interested in children's literature.

 

International Children's Digital Library

This project aims to create a collection of more than 10,000 books in at least 100 languages that is freely available to children, teachers, librarians, parents, and scholars throughout the world via the Internet. 324 books are currently online. Age level for children is 3-13 years. Books can be selected by keyword, by category (subject, age, language, feeling, etc.) or by country. Use the "+" magnifying glass at the top of the screen to enlarge pages for reading.

 

Children's Music Web

Offers links to many children's music web sites, info on children's music events, an e-mail discussion forum, and a music magazine with activities for kids.

 

Children's Software Review

Software news and reviews, and tips on how to evaluate software for children.

 

Great Sites!

Over 700 "amazing, spectacular, mysterious, wonderful web sites for kids and the adults who care about them," from the American Library Association. Sites were selected by librarians, and the selection criteria used are outlined in detail. Includes a link to the ALA's earlier Librarian's Guide to CyberSpace for Parents & Kids.

 

Healthy Child Care

Basically an advertisement for the bimonthly publication Healthy Child Care , the site lists all articles in Volumes 1 and 2, and includes the text of some articles. Also provides links to several related websites.

 

Protect Your Child on the Internet

From the John Hopkins University Department of Pediatrics' "Pediatric Points of Interest."

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California Department of Education. Child Development Division.

"The Child Development Division educates the general public about developmentally appropriate practices for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children in a variety of safe and healthy child care and development environments. " Website includes information about the Division's projects and an index of the state-funded child care resource and referral agencies in California sorted by county.

 

Child Development Policy Advisory Committee

"The [California] Child Development Policy Advisory Committee is a citizen's review board whose primary role is "To provide public policy recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature and relevant State Departments concerning child care and development." The website offers information about Committee business (calendar, minutes, etc.) as well as legislative updates and links to related government websites.

 

National Child Care Information Center

Contracted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NCCIC disseminates Childcare Bulletin, works closely with state and national organizations related to child care, and offers forums and conferences. Their website offers information on a wide variety of topics, including brain development, infants and toddlers, starting a child care facility, funding opportunities, health and safety, tribal child care, Head Start and welfare reform, as well as information on Federal and State activities related to child care.

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Association for Childhood Education

Provides information about the ACEI, its journal and book publications, conferences, and membership information.

Head Start

Head Start Home Page of the Administration for Children  and Families, the federal agency that administers this child development program that serves low-income children and their families.

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Provides information on the organization, its publications, activities and conferences. Contains a searchable index to articles in the NAEYC publication Young Children . (Index only; Articles themselves are not included.)

 

National Association of Resource and Referral Agencies

"A non-profit organization dedicated to providing the most up-to-date and useful information to parents seeking child care, child care professionals, NACCRRA members, and child care advocates." Includes information on how to select a child care provider, and links to related websites.

 

Society for Research in Child Development

National Institute on Out-of-School Time

Zero to Three

Contains information on a baby's social, emotional, and intellectual development, with sections for parents and for professionals. "Brainworks" explores how the brain develops in the context of relationships. "Parent Information" contains excerpts from the bimonthly bulletin Zero to Three, which includes rhymes and fingerplays in English and Spanish, information on books and young children, social skills, and more. Also offers information about choosing child care, developmental milestones, helpful tips, and much more.

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California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

Provides current information on the Child Development Permit as well as other types of credential and certificate requirements.

 

California Early Childhood Mentor Program

Claims to be the largest mentoring program for child care professionals in the U.S. Provides training for experienced child care workers who wish to become mentors to new practitioners. Stipends are offered to mentors for continuing education.

 

Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Development (formerly the Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education)

 

Center for Child Care Workforce mission is to improve the quality of early care and education for all children by promoting policy, research and organizing that ensure the early care and education workforce is well-educated, receives better compensation and a voice in their workplace.

Trust for Early Education

National Institute for Early Education Research

National Center for Early Development and Learning

California First Five Commission 

Early Education Quality: Higher Teacher Qualifications for Better Learning Environments - A Review of the Literature
by Marcy Whitebook, Summer 2003

http://www.iir.berkeley.edu/cscce/index.html