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Why the First 1,000 Days Matter: Advocacy Tips for Early Childhood Experts
An early childhood advocacy guide for professionals who want to be a big voice for little kids.
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The first three years of life are the most important for lifelong mental health and well-being.
We use early childhood development research to create meaningful resources for families, professionals, and policymakers who shape the lives of young children.
Impact Stories
Discover real-world stories and learn about people who make a real impact.
Our Focus
At ZERO TO THREE, we offer early childhood trainings and resources to address the most critical issues impacting babies and toddlers. Explore our fields of focus.
Making an Impact Together
Our belief that every child deserves a strong start in life fuels a collective mission to foster healthy development from the very beginning.
Understanding child development and your role as a parent or caregiver is crucial for molding babies and toddlers into the best versions of themselves. We support parents and caregivers through our projects and programs and early childhood development resources, including research-based tips and tools for effective parenting.
Advance your knowledge and skills with our comprehensive early childhood education training programs for professionals. Our resources, from conferences to free webinars, provide guidance for educators, health care workers and other early childhood professionals. They are designed to enhance your understanding of childhood development and inform effective teaching strategies.
ZERO TO THREE advocates for policies that promote the well-being and development of babies and toddlers as well as their families. We engage in research and collaborate with policymakers and state legislators to influence legislation related to early childhood education, child welfare and child care solutions. We dedicate our efforts to ensure the needs of infants and toddlers are prioritized in public policy decisions.
We emphasize the importance of mental and emotional health in infancy and early childhood development. We provide resources and training for parents, caregivers and professionals on how to nurture emotional well-being in babies and toddlers. Through our programs and campaigns, we promote awareness of the critical impact of early experiences on mental health. We also develop guidelines and tools that you can use to support the mental and emotional needs of babies and toddlers.
Our programs, early childhood development resources and training programs empower communities. In addition to offering local resources, we facilitate training sessions for community organizations and professionals to enhance their capacity to support children and families effectively. By fostering community engagement and collaboration, we help create environments that nurture healthy childhood development.
"This is just what I needed to reestablish my motivation in moving forward with this work."
The Latest News and Featured Resources
Explore the latest news and updates in the field of early childhood development.
Press Release
Babies Pay the Price as Federal Budget Slashes Healthcare, Nutrition, and Other Basic Needs; ZERO TO THREE Vows Speak Up to Rebuild Vital Family Supports
Congress and the Administration have gutted legacy programs like SNAP and Medicaid,
undermining decades of support for the nation’s youngest children
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Virtual Event
Building Educator-Family Partnerships to Support Highly Sensitive Young Children
Practical strategies to recognize sensitivity, foster emotional safety, and strengthen partnerships between parents and educators.
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How to Foster Resilience in Infants and Toddlers: A Guide for Educators and Caregivers
The foundation for resilience in infants and toddlers begins through everyday interactions with parents and other caregivers.
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Your Calm Is Their Calm: Co-Regulation Strategies for Infants and Toddlers
As parents, caregivers, or early childhood professionals, we’re often told that young children need help learning to manage their emotions. But what does that actually look like for babies and toddlers who don’t yet have the words to explain how they feel?
This is where co-regulation comes in.
This is where co-regulation comes in.
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Power List
5 Early Childhood Professionals Battling Burnout in the Field
Hear from five professionals who are actively addressing early childhood educator burnout while leading efforts to support resilience across their fields.
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Distillation
Early Childhood Attachment Styles: What Parents and Professionals Should Know
Attachments are strong emotional bonds between two humans, and babies and toddlers form multiple ones with the various key people in their lives. These connections happen between infants and their caregivers, parents, siblings, and others they interact with. Developmental experts use this understanding of early attachments to comprehend how early childhood relationships form lifelong perceptions and behaviors in future connections.
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Distillation
It Takes a Village: A Holistic Approach to Supporting Babies and Families
The social-ecological perspective helps us understand that a child’s development doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it’s shaped by many layers of influence, from their close relationships to the communities and society around them. By looking at all these interconnected levels, we can better support young children and their families in every part of their lives.
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Field Study
Professional Perspectives: A Look at Our Work with Young Children and Families
The early childhood field as a whole works together to ensure babies and families have the support they need to thrive.
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Resource
No Baby Goes Hungry: Ensuring Infant and Toddler Food Security
Proper nutrition during early childhood lays the foundation for lifelong health, but cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could put many babies at risk.
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Healthy Futures: Ensuring Healthcare Access for Babies and Toddlers
Ensuring that all babies receive the medical attention they need is crucial to fostering a strong, healthy future.
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From birth to 3, a child’s brain produces more than 1 million neural connections each second.
Upcoming Events:
Check out our upcoming in-person and virtual events.
Virtual
August 5, 2025
The Growing Brain Basics Webinar Series
Explore how the brain grows and develops from conception to 5 years old and how you can support healthy brain development during these years when the brain is the most plastic, or receptive to change.
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Portland, OR
August 5, 2025
Cross Sites 2025
Safe Babies, A Program of ZERO TO THREE™, hosts the 19th annual Cross Sites Meeting, August 5-7, 2025.
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Virtual
August 6, 2025
The Growing Brain: From Birth to 5 Years Old Virtual Training of Trainers
Our newly designed virtual Training of Trainers combines live online events and self-study to support your journey towards becoming a ZERO TO THREE certified trainer of The Growing Brain curriculum.
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Virtual
August 26, 2025
Transformational Leadership in Advancing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Policy.
Join early childhood leaders Sarah Barclay Hoffman and Lynette Aytch for a thoughtful conversation on how reflection, collaboration, and purpose drive impactful leadership and change.
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Virtual
September 10, 2025
The Growing Brain: From Birth to 5 Years Old Virtual Training of Trainers
Our newly designed virtual Training of Trainers combines live online events and self-study to support your journey towards becoming a ZERO TO THREE certified trainer of The Growing Brain curriculum.
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Virtual
September 16, 2025
Infant Mental Health Training: What You Need to Know
The DC:0-5 Overview Training helps administrators and allied professionals gain a foundation for understanding this diagnostic system.
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Baltimore, MD
October 6, 2025
Faculty Institute: DC:0–5™
Dive into the only diagnostic classification system focused on mental health for infants and young children, birth to 5 years old.
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Baltimore, MD
October 6, 2025
Faculty Institute: Critical Competencies
Transform teacher-child interactions with the essential skills needed to optimize social-emotional, cognitive, and language and literacy development—the ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™
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Baltimore, MD
October 7, 2025
Pre-Conference Forum: Leadership for Wellness
Join us for this engaging forum to explore the latest research and effective methods for supporting well-being.
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Baltimore, MD
October 7, 2025
Pre-Conference Forum: In This Together
Gain valuable insights into building enduring, collaborative relationships that strengthen the well-being of children, families, communities, and yourself.
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Baltimore, Maryland
October 8, 2025
LEARN Conference 2025
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Babies and their families are coming to Capitol Hill to advocate for the policies they need to thrive.
Your gift to ZERO TO THREE will help give children the best possible start in life.
Supporting a child in their first 1,000 days is a gift that can last a lifetime!
A Closer Look
New Early Childhood Books and Best Sellers | ZERO TO THREE
Explore our vast range of evidence-based resources and educational books designed to strengthen your practice.
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Join the Think Babies™ Campaign!
Learn about how you can get involved in the Think Babies™ campaign to promote enriching early experiences and a strong foundation from the start. It's time for policymakers to think babies.
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Early Childhood Issue Areas
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Calling All Baby Champions
Whether you're a parent, caregiver, community leader or policymaker, you can support our efforts and do your part in giving infants and toddlers a strong start in life.
Sign up for our newsletter to access the latest resources, learn about upcoming events and more. Help advance our initiative by making a donation or becoming a member.
