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While estimates vary day to day, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determines that about 194,716 people in families with children were homeless in January of 2016 (about 35% of the total homeless population). Depending upon the definition of homeless (e.g., counting families doubled-up in overcrowded conditions, etc.), other estimates are far higher.
The Office of Child Care (OCC) released PDF copies of all approved FY 2016-2018 CCDF Plans that became effective June 1, 2016. The CCDF Plans offer a snapshot into current and planned efforts, initiatives and implementation plans for each State/Territory over the next two years through September 30, 2018.
The purpose of this policy statement is to set a vision and provide recommendations to States, local educational agencies (LEAs), schools, and public and private early childhood programs, from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) (the Departments), for increasing the inclusion of infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities in high-quality early childhood programs.
This document summarizes the Federal policy recommendations released in December 2014, and provides an update (from the original Federal expulsion and suspension prevention resource guide released in April 2016) on the innovative policies and workforce supports adopted by States and local leaders around the country who are leading the way by proactively addressing expulsion and suspension in early childhood settings. Though no State or community highlighted here considers its work finished, they are taking important steps forward to address the issue and have a series of planned next steps they intend to pursue. Their innovative ideas and valuable lessons learned can support and guide localities similarly alarmed by- and committed to addressing- this issue.
This guidance document provides recommendations from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Education (ED) on ways in which early childhood and housing providers at the local and, in some cases, State levels can collaborate to provide safe, stable, and nurturing environments for pregnant women and families with young children who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The intended audience for this policy statement includes State and local early childhood, housing, and homeless providers, as well as policymakers who work in this space. The recommendations in this policy statement focus on better meeting the needs of these highly vulnerable families through stronger partnerships between early care, learning, health, and development settings and Continuums of Care (CoCs),1 housing programs, and emergency shelter providers.
Provide guiding principles for early educators (including those in home settings), early learning programs, schools, and families on the use of technology by young children to support them in making informed choices for all children.
Inform the public, families, and early educators on the evidence base used to support these guiding principles.
Issue a call to action to researchers, technology developers, and state and local leaders to ensure technology is advanced in ways that promote young children’s healthy development and learning.
While this brief addresses early learners from birth to 8 years of age, the Departments acknowledge that this is a large age span in the development of a child and what is appropriate for an 8-year-old is likely not appropriate for a toddler or infant. This brief focuses mainly on age-appropriate guidance for children ages 2-8. A special call out box titled, "What Is Developmentally Appropriate Technology Use for Children age 0-2?," on page 11 discusses technology use with children under the age of 2.
The purpose of this guidance document is to set a new vision for monitoring and oversight policy and practice within states that (a) improves the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of oversight with regard to early care and education programs; (b) creates a culture of health and safety that better supports the healthy development of children; and (c) enables states to be successful in meeting the goals of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014, (P.L. 113-186), which includes monitoring many more child care providers.