Start Early

Final call for our Lunch and Learn hosted by the Start Early Consulting Team! Join us today, October 16th, from 12 to 1 p.m. CT. During our time together, we’ll explore how Start Early Consulting engagements are co-created with our partners and highlight lessons learned through those partnerships. Featured case studies will include developing an advocacy strategy in partnership with families, PDG-5 strategic planning, and home visiting workforce recruitment and retention. Don't miss out, register now: https://lnkd.in/gHwSfWYG

For over 40 years Start Early has worked tirelessly to advance quality early learning and support for children and families. We know that starting early has the biggest impact on a child’s development and that Head Start and Early Head Start are an essential part of our work to help all children thrive. In honor of Head Start Awareness Month, we’re re-sharing our conversation with Diana McClarien, vice president of the Early/Head Start Network on how Start Early’s relationship with Head Start began, the benefits of the program and our hopes for the future of Head Start and Early Head Start. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g7txGNYE

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, we are pleased to share a story from Start Early Washington Technical Assistance and Training Specialist Alex Patricelli. She gives her reflections on the generational impact of her life story, her Indigenous heritage, and how she found hope and resilience through home visiting support. Learn about how home visiting offers crucial support to families. Stories like Alex’s show the power of these programs in fostering connection and healing across generations. Read her full story and learn how home visiting programs can make a lasting difference for Indigenous communities: https://lnkd.in/gm9HuKy4

At the 2025 National Home Visiting Summit, policy, practice and research combine to influence change and create better home visiting outcomes for children and families everywhere. NEW in 2025: the Summit is now offering Continuing Education Units (CEUs) included with your registration fee! Register today for an early bird discount and join early childhood leaders and changemakers in Washington, D.C. February 12-14, 2025! Learn more and register today: https://bit.ly/3VE3CcS

A new blog by Research Associate Mickie Brown, MPH explores how Start Early’s Research & Evaluation team and its Early/Head Start Network recently partnered to glean a better idea of how data is used to inform program practices today and what critical roles data can play for long-term impact. One data point includes a survey taken in May 2023 which showed that 95% of respondents agree that data plays an important role in developing children and families. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gkVzZaG7

Don’t forget to join us on Wednesday, October 16th from 12 to 1 p.m. CT. for our Lunch and Learn hosted by the Start Early Consulting Team. During our time together, we’ll explore how Start Early Consulting engagements are co-created with our partners and highlight lessons learned through those partnerships. Featured case studies will include developing an advocacy strategy in partnership with families, PDG-5 strategic planning, and home visiting workforce recruitment and retention. Register today! https://lnkd.in/gHwSfWYG

There is still tine to register for sessions 2-6 of our ACSES Introductory Webinar Series. ACSES, a practical, action-oriented framework for creating more equitable early childhood classrooms. This series provides ongoing learning, flexibility, and continues education credits. Participants will learn how to build early childhood educators’ understanding of equitable classroom learning and offers practical strategies to support young Black and Brown learners. Register for the series today: https://lnkd.in/g7FQu9b6

The Child Tax Credit is top of mind for many voters tuning into tonight’s Vice Presidential Debate. Today, 1 in 6 children under age 5 live in poverty. If reinstated, the federal Child Tax Credit would alleviate some of the financial burdens parents experience and support health, wellness, and stability for families. Learn more about how the Child Tax Credit impacted families when temporarily approved during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://bit.ly/4eLgh5F

Over the past decade, numerous reports have indicated pervasively high rates of early childhood expulsion nationwide. In response, state and federal policymakers have enacted various measures to ban or reduce reliance on such exclusionary discipline, including groundbreaking legislation in Illinois. Start Early Policy Manager, Allison Lowe-Fotos, recently co-authored the peer-reviewed journal article “A qualitative comparison of parents’ experiences of early childhood expulsion following a legislative ban.” Additional authors include University of Illinois Chicago's Katherine M. Zissner and Sarai Cobra-Rodriguez. Few research studies have focused on the experiences of parents and families who have experienced an expulsion. This study goes directly to the intended beneficiaries of the law (i.e., the families being expelled), to understand how they experienced the stipulations in the legislation, namely the planned transitions and exhaustion of resources to support retention. The findings in this article hold implications for the implementation of similar policy efforts across the country. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gtUnazVe

The beginning years of a child’s life are critical for building the early foundation of healthy relationships, health and mental wellness, and learning needed for success later in life. Suspension and expulsion are stressful and negative experiences that can influence adverse outcomes across development, health, and education. Start Early Senior Policy Manager, Allison Lowe-Fotos, was a recent panelist in the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health webinar “Addressing Suspension and Expulsion in Early Education Settings: An IECMH-Informed Approach.” This webinar frames the issue from a strengths-based systems perspective, explores the importance of this issue for I/ECMH providers and organizations, and highlights the importance of a proactive stance. Watch the recording now: https://lnkd.in/gjPuk_NV