Early Childhood Resources
UW Resources
Active Bodies, Active Minds: A University of Washington website that provides screen-time reduction information and resources for people who care for preschool-aged children.
Autism Center in UW’s Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD): The UW Autism Center is a nonprofit organization devoted to supporting families affected by autism spectrum disorders through exceptional clinical services, innovative scientific research and high-quality training.
CARE Clinic (Clinical Services, Assessment, Research and Professional Education): The CARE Clinic serves individuals from infancy through adulthood who have neurodevelopmental differences (including autism spectrum, ADHD, learning disability, and developmental delays) and their families. This clinic is part of the UW College of Education Haring Center.
Center for Adoption Medicine: The Center for Adoption Medicine is a resource that covers medical and developmental issues in adoption and pediatrics. The center is currently working with the School of Nursing on a pilot study looking at how attachments form in international adoptions.
Center for Child and Family Well-Being: Faculty in the Child and Family Well-being Research Group are working toward understanding children’s development and well-being from a bio-ecological perspective that takes a “whole child” approach, addressing individual, family and contextual factors at multiple levels of influence.
The Center for Pediatric Dentistry: The UW’s School of Dentistry and Seattle Children’s have partnered to combat the growing crisis of childhood dental disease.
Center for Public Health Nutrition: UW’s CPHN houses three research groups, including the Center for Obesity Research. This group facilitates interdisciplinary research that addresses biomedical, social, economic and environment aspects of obesity, with a long-term goal to translate research results into evidence-based strategies for obesity prevention and treatment.
Center for Research on the Management of Sleep Disturbances (CRMSD): More than 70 million people in the U.S. have a sleep disturbance. The goal of the CRMSD is to improve health, well-being and quality of life through the enhancement of sleep quality across the lifespan.
Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD): The CHDD is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive interdisciplinary research and training centers focusing on a wide array of developmental disabilities. Several core programs in the area of early childhood development and disabilities are a part of the UW’s CHDD, including the Experimental Education Unit, the UW Autism Center and the Center on Infant Mental Health and Development.
Center on Infant Mental Health and Development: This site is a partnership between the university’s Center on Human Development and Disability and the UW School of Nursing. The center promotes interdisciplinary research, education and practice, and advances policy related to the social and emotional development of all children during the first five years.
Child and Youth Advocacy Clinic: CAYAC was established in 1996 as a multidisciplinary program of the University of Washington schools of law, social work and medicine. The clinic’s primary focus is child advocacy and the development of a holistic legal program for children and youth.
College of Arts & Sciences: As the intellectual core of the University of Washington, the College of Arts and Sciences discovers, preserves and transmits fundamental knowledge in the arts, humanities, natural and social sciences.
College of Education: The UW College of Education believes that an effective public education system for a diverse citizenry is the cornerstone of democracy. The college dedicates its resources toward making an excellent education a daily reality for every student in every community across this state and country.
Department of Epidemiology, UW School of Public Health: Epidemiology is the study of the frequency, distribution, and determinants of disease in human populations. The mission of the Department is to provide rigorous training in the fundamentals and practice of epidemiology, to contribute to the understanding of the etiology and prevention of disease, and to improve the health of the public through excellence in research.
Department of Health Services, UW School of Public Health: The Department of Health Services prepares future health practitioners, managers and researchers to conduct the unfinished work of improving the well-being of communities in the United States and throughout the world.
Department of Psychology at the University of Washington: Psychologists are at the forefront of efforts to translate single disciplinary endeavors to more integrated approaches that better address the complex problems of our society. Through academic excellence and outstanding research scholarship, UW’s Psychology Department has become a national leader of psychological training and research.
Department of Speech and Hearing and Speech Sciences (SPHSC): The field of speech and hearing sciences involves the study of all aspects of normal and impaired human communication. The Department is committed to understanding the basic processes and mechanisms involved in normal processes of speech, language, hearing, and in their disorders, and to improving the quality of life for individuals affected by communication disorders.
Experimental Education Unit (EEU) at the Haring Center: A comprehensive, early childhood center that puts the research on school readiness into action everyday. The EEU provides a high quality early learning program for children with and without disabilities from birth through kindergarten.
Evans School of Public Affairs/Human Services Policy Center: The Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington is the pre-eminent graduate school of public policy and management in the Northwest, and ranks nationally in the top tier of graduate schools in its field.
Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit (FADU): The FADU is a research unit in the UW School of Medicine dedicated to the prevention, intervention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE).
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network: The core clinical/research/training hub at the UW’s Center on Human Development and Disability links this network of five Washington state community based clinics. The mission of the FAS DPN is prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome through screening, diagnosis, intervention, trainings, education, and research.
Haring Center: The Haring Center is a leader in developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating strategies to help all students succeed, all teachers be effective, and all parents feel confident and competent. At the center, families, researchers, and students work closely on their shared mission of providing inclusive educational services for children with and without disabilities.
Head Start Center on Inclusion: This UW program, funded by the Office of Head Start, is designed to increase the competence, confidence, and effectiveness of educators in Head Start programs to include children with disabilities. The site offers training materials as well as tools for teachers and coordinators.
The Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences: I-LABS is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to discovering the fundamental principles of human learning that will enable all children to achieve their full potential.
International Society of Early Intervention: The International Society on Early Intervention is an organization designed to provide a framework and forum for professionals from around the world to communicate about advances in the field of early intervention.
NCAST – Promoting Nurturing Environments for Young: NCAST provides professionals, parents and other caregivers the knowledge and skills to provide nurturing environments for young children by developing and disseminating innovative research-based products and training programs used in many disciplines and settings.
Northwest Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities: This pregnancy reference card, created by the UW School of Dentistry, provides important information for dentists to use when treating pregnant patients.
Parenting Clinic: The University of Washington's Parenting Clinic provides programs that promote children's social competence and reduce behavior problems.
Psychosocial and Community Health: The mission of the Department of Psychosocial & Community Health is to engage in research, practice, and the education of professional nurses to promote health and prevent disease through individual and community action.
Special Education: The area of Special Education in the UW’s College of Education prepares students to effectively identify and solve major problems in the education of children and youth with disabilities.
External Resources
Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD): This nonprofit organization focuses on preventative and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age 6, with emphasis on enrollment by age one.
American Academy of Pediatrics Technical Paper on School Readiness: This report, founded on the premise that the beginning of a child’s educational experience begins years before kindergarten, provides school readiness tips for parents and other caregivers of children from birth to age five.
Casey Family Programs: Casey Family Programs works to provide and improve foster care in the United States.
CDC Division of Oral Health: This Center for Disease Control parent resource provides information on everything from fluoride to flossing.
CDC’s Healthy Youth: CDC.gov is the Center for Disease Control’s primary online information channel, offering credible, reliable health information. The Healthy Youth section on obesity provide a rich collection of articles, podcasts and tips to help prevent childhood obesity.
Center on the Developing Child: This Harvard University center generates, translates, and applies knowledge in the service of improving life outcomes for children in the U.S. and beyond.
Centers for Disease Control: Developmental Milestones: A useful set of important milestones for a child’s development and signs to watch for, broken down by age group.
Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy:
Center focuses on maternal and child health and early childhood issues.
Child Care and Early Education Research Connections: A free and easy-to-use Web site that allows the user to quickly search the full text of thousands of resources relevant to the field of child care and early education.
Childcare.gov: This site, run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, offers school readiness activities for child care providers.
Child Development Institute: The CDI website features a language development chart that provides general language development milestones for children from birth to age 8.
Children’s Alliance: An organization that works to ensure that Washington state laws, policies and programs work for kids by holding leaders accountable until they secure the resources required to make all children safe and healthy.
CLASP, Child Care & Early Education: Clasp promotes policies that support both child development and the needs of low-income working parents.
Council for Children and Families Washington: The CCF’s goal is to promote the optimal development of children and families by leading Washington state in its efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Council for Exceptional Children: A group that works to improve education for special needs and gifted students.
Foundation for Early Learning: A public foundation that supports the learning of children, birth through age five.
Getting Ready for Back to School: Developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), this site fosters positive transitions for school success.
Healthy Children: An American Academy of Pediatrics Web site offering a list of childhood obesity articles for parents and caregivers.
The Mayo Clinic: Childhood Obesity information from one of the nation’s leading medical clinics.
Medline Plus: This service of the U.S National Library of Medicine and the National Library of Medicine provides a thorough listing of information about childhood obesity.
National Center for Children and Families: This Columbia University center advances the policy, education, and development of children and their families.
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities: This Center for Disease Control and Prevention site provides information to help protect people who are especially vulnerable to health risks, including babies and children with developmental delays.
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: An organization that calls itself “America’s Toothfairy,” the NCOHF is dedicated to eliminating pediatric dental disease and ensuring all children can access the comprehensive care they need for healthy, happy and productive futures.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): A unique collaboration of academic and community-based service centers whose mission is to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for traumatized children and their families across the United States.
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: This site provides information about national and local services, laws, and policies that are helpful to families raising a child with developmental delays.
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER): NIEER conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective, early childhood education for all young children.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: A governmental institute in the National Institute of Health, the NIDCD’s mission is to improve the lives of people who have communication disorders.
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resources Center: This online resource center responds to the needs of state and communities in addressing current and emerging public oral health issues.
National Sleep Foundation (Children and Sleep): The National Sleep Foundation’s “Children and Sleep” section offers parents and educators helpful sleep information, as well as tips for helping children get to sleep.
New America Foundation’s Early Education Initiative: The Early Education Initiative seeks to promote a high-quality and continuous system of early care and education for all children, birth to age 8.
Parent Map: This Seattle-based company provides a website with articles written for, by and about parenting and news in the area of early childhood development .
Partners in Action: A companion Web site for the Washington State Nutrition & Physical Activity Plan, this site features nutritional information for parents, caregivers, and children.
Pre-K Now: This project of the Pew Center on the States is a public education and advocacy campaign that advances high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds.
Prepare My Child For School: This guide, developed and distributed by the U.S. Department of Education, provides activities and information to help you prepare your child for school. For children from infancy to 5 years old.
Speak Up When You're Down:
Support and referral for mothers with post-partum depression.
Talaris Institute: A Seattle-based organization designed to support parents and caregivers in the healthy social and emotional development of children, ages birth through five.
Thrive by Five Washington: A public-private partnership committed to making sure all children have the opportunity to thrive by the time they are 5.
Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL): The DEL offers information and resources to parents and teachers that help nurture safe and healthy early learning experiences for all Washington state children.
Washington State Association of Head Start (WSA) and Early Child Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP): WSA and ECEAP provide an intensive combination of education, health and nutrition screening and assistance, parent involvement and family support.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services: Providing Washington State families with protection, comfort, food assistance, financial aid, medical and behavioral health care and other services.
World Association for Infant Mental Health:
WAIMH studies effects of mental, emotional and social development during infancy on later normal and psychopathological development.
Zero to Three: A national, nonprofit early childhood organization that promotes the health and development of infants and toddlers.
