“Strong social-emotional development underlies all later social, emotional, and academic success.” But among the 20–50 percent of children who enter kindergarten not ready to learn, social-emotional development is often where they are least prepared. This collection of seven commissioned papers summarizes an NBCDI study of the current state of research and programs addressing preschoolers' social-emotional development, looking at issues from a multicultural perspective. It identifies practical tools and strategies, as well as research, mental health screening, and community partnership models, that readers can use as resources for new research and program development. From the National Black Child Development Institute. 

Facing the Challenge is an instructional, interactive DVD video developed by the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative (DECI) and Video Active Productions in partnership with NAEYC. Training and documentary material help teachers learn how to prevent children’s use of difficult behaviors and develop intervention strategies to work with children who use challenging behaviors to meet their needs.

Disc 1:

• What is challenging behavior?
• Developmentally appropriate behavior
• Why do kids misbehave?
• Parents as partners
• Skill Development Study #1

Discs are available separately, or as a 2-DVD set. Disc 1: #8014; Disc 2: #8015; 2-DVD set: #8016.

Some early childhood programs have adopted no-touch policies, and others allow only a very minimal level of physical contact between teachers and children. Yet touch is as necessary as food or water for young children to thrive and grow physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Experiences of touch in all its forms—whether nurturing touch from adults, tactile explorations of the environment, or physical interactions with peers—are essential to high-quality early care and education. From this book, practitioners will learn just why touch is essential to young children's development and how it can be incorporated safely into early childhood settings, from the infant program to the primary classroom.

Children’s interactions with their special grown-ups affect everything in their lives, especially in their earliest years. And the relationships between those special people matter, too. When adult connections are caring and strong, parents, caregivers, and directors are motivated and empowered to work together to help children thrive. The book describes this concept of relationship-based child care, what understandings and attitudes support such care, and the policies required to enact it in a center setting. High-quality family child care homes and a growing numbers of enlightened centers are already using the model. As this book's many personal stories make clear, everyone benefits from relationship-based care!