Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)

Family engagement is a collaborative and strengths-based process through which early childhood professionals, families, and children build positive and goal-oriented relationships.

Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease, but it's preventable. Children with dental pain can have trouble speaking clearly, eating, and learning. Use the resources below to promote a healthy mouth. Learn about proper toothbrushing and other preventive measures and how to find a dentist.

Across early childhood systems and programs, managers and staff must be prepared to enhance experiences for the growing number of young children who are learning their home languages and English..

The Head Start Act requires periodic federal review of all Head Start programs. Learn about federal monitoring and understand all the necessary requirements to prepare for the federal review of your program’s systems and services.

Young children vary in their skills, knowledge, backgrounds, and abilities. Effective teaching requires individualized teaching and chances to learn for all children to access, participate, and thrive in early learning settings. Individualizing for children who need more support helps ensure effective teaching for children with disabilities and other special needs across all the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework domains.

Family well-being occurs when all family members are safe, healthy, and have chances for educational advancement and economic mobility. Support services such as early care and education, housing and food assistance, and physical and mental health care positively contribute to the well-being of families and their children. When families face challenges that cause stress, including poverty and homelessness, their health and wellness can be negatively impacted.

Thoughtful planning is critical to programming. Explore these resources for guidance through the five-year grant. Learn how to establish continuous cycles of improvement that involve key stakeholders in data-based decision-making.

Explore this topic for strategies and promising practices to support children and their families within Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships and other local partnerships, such as pre-K. Training and technical assistance (T/TA) staff and EHS-CC Partnership grantees and their child care partners will find resources about partnerships, family child care, and regulations and standards. Also find tools and materials around administration, research, and evaluation.

Children experience many transitions, including from home to an early care and education setting, between age groups or program settings, and from preschool to kindergarten. Supporting these transitions is critically important..

New and experienced staff will find professional development tools to help keep children safe, healthy, and ready to learn.