Blog

From Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, June 2020 How is ongoing, severe stress and adversity in early childhood connected to chronic disease in adults? And, what can we do about it? In this animated video, narrated by Center on the Developing Child Director Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., learn what the latest science tells us about how early experiences affect not only early learning and school readiness, but also lifelong health. Understand the effects of adversities such as...

Mei, mother of four-month-old Amy, called to make an appointment in my behavioral pediatrics practice. Her thick accent made it difficult for me to understand her concern over the phone. She arrived at my office with her husband, Yuan, who spoke little English. I learned that they had recently immigrated from China. Although I had a blanket on the floor covered with toys, Mei stood tentatively, her movements awkward and hesitant, until I suggested she put Amy down. Immediately Amy gave me a...

To support the health and well-being of children and families of color, we must implement comprehensive strategies that address systemic and institutional racism. This report offers a blueprint for creating equity-centered, anti-racist policies that support the health and well-being of children and families of color. Download the report from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) here. Watch a webinar on the Blueprint here.

Originally published on Rise to Resilience on June 6th. Last week in one of the preschool-related Facebook groups I was in (and subsequently was kicked out of for challenging homophobia and transphobia), there was a post asking if people celebrate Pride Month in their classrooms, and if so, what they do. Cue a flood of teachers expressing their significant opposition for such inclusion, including ones who claimed to be allies. Motivated by this, I decided I would start...

Putting the pieces together! Join an upstream approach to ending violence against children! This is an ACEs & Spanking INFOGRAPHIC that helps parents understand the connection between ACEs and the importance of not spanking and instead, using positive parenting techniques. For a free webinar series to support parents: https://stopspanking.org More information on ACEs, Spanking, and Positive Parenting: https://stopspanking.org/aces/

Listen to Episode 5 of the Rise Resilient Podcast with Dr. Cindy Blackstock : https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/...7453?i=1000523674198 Agnes is honoured to be able to have a conversation with Dr. Cindy Blackstock who is the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada which stands with First Nations children, youth and families so they have equitable opportunities to grow up safely at home, be healthy, get a good education and be proud of who they are. In...

By Meghan McCormick, Teresa Eckrich Sommer, Terri Sabol, and JoAnn Hsueh, MDRC, June 2021 Recent federal legislation collectively provides over a billion dollars in new funding for Head Start, offering an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen the program’s antipoverty programming. Since its founding in the 1960s, Head Start—including Early Head Start—has had a dual mission (perhaps not well-known to the general public) to advance the education and wellbeing of children and parents. There...

Please find Linda K. Williams website, Caring and Capable Kids, with many resources for you and your families. Please click HERE: https://caringandcapablekids.com/caring-and-capable-kids/

Registration for the June Rise to Resilience workshop Unlearning Ableism for Educators is now available! In this workshop, we will dive into what ableism is, how it manifests within classrooms and the education system, and identify ways to challenge ableism in our practices. Register here: www.bit.ly/risejune You can watch past workshop recordings by clicking here and learn more about Rise to Resilience on the website www.risetoresilience.org. Image Description: A light pink background with...

From Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, May 2021 The scientific evidence is clear and growing: racism imposes unique and substantial stressors on the daily lives of families raising young children of color. Understanding how these stressors affect child health and development provides a compelling framework for new ideas about how communities, policies, programs, and funding streams might confront and dismantle these inequities and build a stronger future for us all. This...

Written by: Catherine Dennis M.S., Ed.S | Early Childhood Specialist Trauma informed practice, ACES and resilience have been the focus of educators the last few years. The idea that trauma was something that happened in the early years and understanding that impact on learning in the long term. But the pause of this past year for all children has delivered another layer to this ever-evolving topic. Now, it doesn't really matter what the situation was at home, collectively, trauma was...

What if one of the answers to reducing inequality and addressing mental health concerns among young children is as simple as providing more opportunities to play? A growing body of research and several experts are making the case for play to boost the well-being of young children as the pandemic drags on—even as concerns over lost learning time and the pressure to catch kids up grow stronger. Play is so powerful, according to a recent report by the LEGO Foundation , that it can be used as a...