Child Care During Nonstandard Work Hours

Learn about our Research Connections project. In November 2014, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was signed into law, reauthorizing the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)–the federal child care subsidy program–for the first time since 1996. In December 2015, the U.S. Office of Child Care issued a Notice of […]

Early Care and Education in Tribal Communities: Research to Policy Resources

Learn about our Research Connections project. There are approximately 390,000 children age nine and under who are identified by their parents as being of American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) heritage alone, while more than 400,000 other children in the same age range share this heritage with that of other race and ethnic groups. The […]

Off-Site Coaching in Early Childhood Center-Based Settings

Learn about our Research Connections project. Of the elements in a strong professional development system, one promising approach is coaching, which typically involves on-site, ongoing individualized expert technical assistance. Literature reviews on the sizable body of research on early childhood coaching conducted by Mathematica and Child Trends, both published in 2011, show it can have […]

Quality Improvement in Home-Based Child Care Settings: Research Resources to Inform Policy

Learn about our Research Connections project. This Topic of Interest provides a comprehensive list of research in the Research Connections collection that was published in 2005 or later addressing issues related to quality improvement specifically in home-based child care. The resources are grouped under the following headings: Overviews, Summaries, and Reviews of Quality Improvement Strategies […]

Interventions to Promote Young Children’s Self-regulation and Executive Function Skills in Early Childhood Settings

Learn about our Research Connections project. Self-regulation refers to the ability to control one’s emotions, behaviors, and cognitions. Self-regulation includes both emotional regulation skills (the ability to moderate emotions through cognitive and behavioral strategies) and executive function skills (which include working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility). These components of self-regulation work together and have […]

Transition to Kindergarten and Child Outcomes

Learn about our Research Connections project. August and September mark the start of the school year for America’s children, and for the more than 3.7 million children who the U.S. Department of Education estimates will enroll in public kindergarten this fall, this time represents a critical period of transition. Child care and early education programs […]

Physical Activity in Early Care and Education Settings

Learn about our Research Connections project. In March 2012, Research Connections published its resource list on child care and obesity prevention. Since then there has been more research on promoting physical activity for young children in early care and education programs. Two major strategies for increasing opportunities for physical activity are through the adoption and […]

Supporting Parent Engagement in Linguistically Diverse Families to Promote Young Children’s Learning: Implications for Early Care and Education Policy

Learn about our Research Connections project. There is wide agreement that early care and education programs should support parent engagement linked to early learning for all families, including families from diverse language and cultural backgrounds. This brief highlights research that can inform policies to expand the capacity of early care and education programs to promote […]

Early Care and Education Supports for Young Children Experiencing Homelessness

Learn about our Research Connections project. Research Connections conducted a comprehensive search of its collection for resources focused on supporting children 0 to 6 years experiencing homelessness through early childhood education programs. Key words used in the search were homeless children and families, homeless children, housing instability, homeless preschool children, children experiencing homelessness, and trauma. […]

Developmental Screening and Assessment

Learn about our Research Connections project. Young children’s development during the first five years of life is rapid and varied between children and across domains (social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and linguistic) within a child. Early and frequent screening ensures children’s healthy growth and development. Using reliable, valid, and appropriate screening tools provides important information to ensure […]