Early Insights from Connecticut Early Years: Integrating Comprehensive Services in Community-Based Infant-Toddler Child Care Settings

• In Event: Access and Quality in Infant-Toddler Care: State-Level Initiatives to Build Stronger Systems

Abstract

The first three years of a child’s life are filled with opportunities, transitions, and challenges. Families often experience significant stress, however, with greater support, they are more likely to engage in positive parenting, promoting their children’s development. Grounded in the science of “whole child: whole family services”, Connecticut Early Years (CT Early Years) provides comprehensive family support within community-based child care settings–both centers and family child care homes– promoting access to parenting, developmental, and other support services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Participating sites are paired with a dedicated Family Consultant (FC), a trained professional who helps families achieve goals related to parenting, education, economic stability, and self-sufficiency, while also connecting them to resources, offering parenting support, and fostering peer support among families. CT Early Years is unique in its ability to reach and support working families who often face barriers to participating in other support services.

This paper presents the design and implementation of the ongoing CT Early Years intervention study. We partnered with the state to design the program and with home visiting agencies to implement the intervention, by their hiring and supervising of the FCs. FCs and their supervisors received training on conducting assessments to determine family goals using the Family Map Inventories (FMI) and supporting parent-child interactions with the Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCCOLO). Simultaneously, we partnered with child care programs to embed FCs into their programs. After being paired with a program, FCs began recruiting families with children 18 months or younger to work with them until the child turned 2.5 years old.

Since the program launched last fall, 14 FCs have been working in 11 child care centers and 14 family child care homes across two Connecticut communities, delivering the intervention to 70 families from diverse backgrounds (34 Latine; 42 single parents; parents’ age range 18-42). FCs meet with families at least twice a month, in person or virtually. FCs use the FMI to set goals around parenting practices, child development, education and employment, and basic needs (e.g., food, housing, clothing); they provide referrals to mental health services, food and diaper banks, community events for social connection, and early intervention services; and they support parent-child interactions with the PICCCOLO. Additionally, FCs partner with directors and teachers through regular meetings and check-ins to support families.  

To assess the impact of CT Early Years, child care programs and families have also been recruited. For both groups, data are being collected from families, FCs and their supervisors, and child care teachers and directors. Families are asked about their child’s development, family circumstances, parenting, and their experiences with child care and their FC. FCs document their work with families, including meeting content, family goals, and referrals. Focus groups and interviews with families, FCs, and child care staff will provide further insights on implementation.

The presentation will offer early insights into a novel approach to better support young children and their families by integrating comprehensive services into community-based child care settings.

Author

• Caitlin Lombardi, University of Connecticut
  Presenting Author