Learning to Communicate Effectively about the Early Years

Babies are great communicators. They communicate from day one, through sounds, facial expressions, gestures and body movements, and they continue to develop more sophisticated communication capacities as they grow.

As adults, we are not that different. We are constantly communicating both verbally and non-verbally, and over time we learn how to communicate best with various people and in different situations. But this can sometimes be a challenge. When communicating with policymakers about early childhood issues, it can be easy to get lost in jargon like "infant mental health", "early intervention", and "developmental screening." While these terms are familiar to professionals in the field, they can seem like a foreign language to policymakers. We must learn to communicate effectively about the importance of the early investment so that policymakers fully understand the needs of babies and the solutions that best support families raising young children.

In this issue of The Baby Monitor, we are featuring our series on framing early childhood issues for public understanding. The series includes:

• Understanding the basics of framing in communications;
• Two articles devoted to the elements of the frame;
• Communications recommendations for infant-toddler professionals and advocates; and
• Strategies for becoming a better communicator.

Your knowledge and expertise is invaluable to policymakers, so it is important to communicate it effectively. Read the series now!

A Tribute to Jane Knitzer

Many of us who work in the infant/family field know all too well that the needs of very young children living in poverty are typically overlooked and neglected. Few of us, however, devote our entire careers to advocating for these often-forgotten infants and toddlers from poor families and neighborhoods. Jane Knitzer was a shining example of somebody who passionately gave voice to those who need the most. Jane, who served as the Executive Director of the National Center for Children in Poverty, passed away in March after an extended illness. She approached her decades-long career with a unique combination of skills, abilities and passion. She brought formidable training to her work, as well as an uncommon ability to understand the impact of poverty on children in a holistic way that transcended the traditional economic perspective and encompassed how poor children are affected in all areas. Our field has lost a true champion. We know that nothing would make Jane happier than to know that others have picked up the mantle and that her life’s passions live on in the work of others.

Federal Policy Update

Just prior to departing Washington for the Spring recess late last week, the full House and Senate approved their respective budget resolutions (budget blueprints for the upcoming fiscal year). The House Budget Resolution calls for $1.09 trillion in discretionary spending, with $532.6 billion of that for non-defense discretionary funding ($7 billion less than the President requested). Meanwhile, the Senate Budget Resolution calls for $1.08 trillion discretionary spending, $524.8 billion of which is for non-defense discretionary funding ($15 billion less than the President requested). Both the House and Senate specifically mentioned their support for the President's early childhood initiatives and promised to build upon early childhood investments from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Additionally, the House Budget Resolution includes support for income security measures such as TANF, child care, and WIC while the Senate specifically points to increasing access to Head Start and other high-quality early education programs to address continued unmet need. The next step in the budget process will be a conference between the House and Senate to resolve differences between their budget resolutions. Unlike ordinary bills, budget resolutions do not go to the President for signature or veto.

To learn more about the bolded policy terms above, please visit the Glossary of Terms.

State Policy Update

New Hampshire Pilots Developmental Screening and Referral System
Recognizing that the early identification of developmental issues can help to prevent further challenges to a child's healthy development, New Hampshire is piloting Watch Me Grow, a new developmental screening and referral system. The system, currently available in 3 communities throughout the state, assures that all families with children birth to age 6 have access to information on child development, screenings for their young children, and referrals to appropriate resources and supports.

In each of the three pilot communities, the community based Family Resource Center serves as an administrative hub that trains local providers to work with families to better understand their child's development and also provide the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess their development. Infants and toddlers whose development deserves closer observation are then referred to the Family Centered Early Supports and Services program, New Hampshire's IDEA Part C program, for full evaluation and intervention services. Click here to read the full state policy update!

New ZERO TO THREE Resources

Download ZERO TO THREE's New ARRA Interactive Tool
ZERO TO THREE's Navigating the Opportunities for Families with Young Children in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is a new interactive tool intended to help decision makers and advocates navigate the ways in which ARRA funds may be used to positively impact the healthy development of our youngest children. The tool is organized around the needs of the whole child - Good Health, Strong Families, and Positive Early Learning Experiences and is simple to navigate. For each featured program, just click on the links within the tool to explore the programs and funding opportunities of interest.

New Parenting Resource - Register Now!
ZERO TO THREE's newest resource for parents, From Baby to Big Kid, is a monthly e-newsletter on how children learn and grow each month from birth to 3 years. From Baby to Big Kid translates the science of early childhood to make it meaningful and relevant to parents. It helps parents understand how development unfolds, what makes their own child tick, and offers strategies that parents can tailor to the needs of their unique family and individual child. To subscribe, click here.

Be a Big Voice for Little Kids™ in April!
Don't forget to download the April Advocacy Developmental Milestone Calendar! This is a big month for raising awareness about issues related to young children — Child Abuse Prevention Month, Week of the Young Child, Autism Awareness Month, and Month of the Military Child. Your challenge in April is to raise your voice and your pen to focus attention on one or more of these issues in your state and/or community.

Publications & Resources

States Expand Newborn Screening for Life-Threatening Disorders
March of Dimes recently announced new findings which suggest that nearly all newborns are now receiving mandated screening for life-threatening disorders. In July of 2007, March of Dimes reported that 90% of newborns received recommended screening tests, leaving a half of a million babies unscreened. However, according to a new report, the state-by-state screening gaps appear to be closing now that all 50 states and the District of Columbia require that every baby be screened for 21 or more of the 29 serious genetic or functional disorders.

Food Insecurity for Young Children in Immigrant Families
According to a new Child Trends research brief, Young Children in Immigrant Families Face Higher Risk of Food Insecurity, infants whose immigrant parents are citizens are more likely to be food secure than infants whose parents are not citizens. This brief presents new data and insight on the prevalence of food insecurity for U.S.-born children within immigrant families. It also highlights the critical importance of identifying new ways to support food security among immigrant families with infants and noncitizen parents.