Framing Early Childhood Development: Recommendations for Professionals and Advocates

Infant-toddler professionals and researchers are in a prime position to communicate with policymakers about the needs of infants, toddlers and their families. And while it might seem like second nature to talk about our work, in reality, it is quite challenging to communicate effectively about the complex nature of early childhood development. By learning the best ways to communicate about early childhood development, we can help ensure that the needs of babies, toddlers and their families are met through effective public policy.

This article in the series explores some specific early childhood frames, the impact of those frames on how people reason about infant-toddler development, and the consequences of these messages for public policy. The article concludes with practical tools which infant-toddler advocates can use to develop their own messages about infant-toddler policy issues.