Head Start is a national program that aims to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and…

This brief examines how provider training and education are related to parent- and provider-reported indicators of quality in home-based and center-based care for toddlers using data from a nationally representative sample of low-income children…

States and the federal government have invested in early care and education programs with an explicit goal of improving school readiness for low-income children. These investments, aimed at strengthening the quality of care and supporting…

This paper is from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and includes profiles of ten states that have recently invested in improving early care and education (ECE) programs. ECE programs can be crucial for child development in cognitive, social, and…

This is a series of reports from Chapin Hall, which provide evaluation information on the Prime Time Initiative. The Initiative is an effort to strengthen the quality of after-school programs in Palm Beach County, Florida through networks of…

This report from the Center for the Study of Social Policy reviews State policies that support families, children and low-wage workers while also contributing to states’ economic stability.

Over 70 percent of mothers are now in the labor force, and supporting parents in the workforce is crucial for both employers and families. Authors from the Urban Institute summarize what has been done for mitigating work-family tensions, such as…

Early care and education has become a reality for many young children with an increasing number of working parents in the United States. The early years for children are extremely important for future development and prove the need for high-…

This report is from the National Center on Children in Poverty, and provides information on state policy choices surrounding early childhood policies. State polices regarding early childhood are affected by federal changes in programs such as…

From the Urban Institute, this paper reviews the use and quality of care and education that children in low-income families receive. Authors focus on these issues and provide suggestions for better supporting the development of children in low-…