Association of WIC Participation and Growth and Developmental Outcomes in High-Risk Infants 

Lakshmanan, A., Song, A., Flores-Fenlon, N., Parti, U., Vanderbilt, D., Friedlich, P., Williams, R., Kipke, M. Clinical Pediatrics (October 2019). 

Background: Nutrition is critical for healthy brain development in infants and toddlers, particularly those who are born prematurely. Federal food programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have been shown to help infants from low-income families get more vitamins and important nutrients that they need. This study looked at whether participating in public food assistance programs like WIC leads to better development in premature infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). 

As Thanksgiving nears, we've been reflecting on the things that we're grateful for this season. First and foremost, we're thankful for the child care professionals who are taking care of our nation's 12.5 million children under age 6 who are in child care. These providers work long hours, for often unlivable wages, to provide safe, high-quality care for our youngest family members. We are so thankful for the time and love they give to the children in their care. 

Once every 10 years, our nation undergoes the gargantuan task of “counting every one, only once, and in the right place.”

An accurate census count is critical to the federal government accurately distributing more than $800 billion in federal funds each year. Accurate counts in the census affect federal funding distributions for many public programs ⁱ, including child care subsidies and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). They also help allocate funding more equitably for other programs children rely on like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, foster care, adoption assistance, Section 8 of the House Act of 1937, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and community health centers.

It’s no secret that families across the country with infants and toddlers struggle to access licensed child care more than families with preschoolers - Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies have been shouting this from the rooftops for decades!

Over the past two years, Child Care Aware® of America has worked with CCR&Rs in five states to quantify the challenges families with infants face through our Mapping the Gap™ project. In our latest story map, Mapping the Gap™ in New York, we found many more examples of communities in which the supply for infant care does not meet the demands of families. For the estimated 425,000 infants and toddlers living across the state, there are only an estimated 127,000 slots, leaving an approximate supply and demand gap of 298,000 slots. This means that roughly 70% of infants and toddlers in New York might not have access to licensed child care in their communities.  

Trauma-Informed Behavioral Parenting for Early Intervention 

Agazzi, H., Adams, C., Ferron, E., Shaffer-Hudkins, E., and Salloum, A. Journal of Child and Family Studies (May 2019). 

Background: Children who experience traumatic events like divorce, abuse and domestic violence (what we call Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs) may have difficulty forming supportive relationships and have higher rates of poor mental health later in life. Children with disabilities experience higher rates of ACEs than their typically-developing peers, yet evidence-based practices to address social/emotional needs often left these children out. These programs also tend to be expensive and require additional training.

Association Between Early Care and Education Teacher Characteristics and Observed Classroom Processes: Strengthening the Diversity and Quality of the Early Care and Education Workforce Paper Series 

Johnson, A., Partika, A., Schochet, O., and Castle, S. Urban Institute (October 2019) 

Background: Early Care and Education (ECE) providers play an important role in helping children learn, grow and successfully transition to elementary school. However, when ECE providers are experiencing high levels of stress and financial insecurity, it can affect the overall quality of care they provide. This study looks at whether workforce supports such as paid leave and a sense of teamwork, and teacher experiences, like exposure to trauma or financial stress, impact teacher-child interactions.