July 12, 2023 Hill District Conducting Survey on Parent Engagement in Child Literacy The Hill District Early Literacy Initiative (HDELI), supported by the Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center (FACE), is conducting a survey on parent engagement in child literacy. About the Survey Entitled, “Hill District Early Literacy Initiative Survey,” the poll aims to discover strategies caregivers use to engage their children in reading comprehension, and establish what resources and supports parents need to assist in that engagement. Just seven questions, the survey is brief and takes only five minutes to complete. HDELI encourages parents and caregivers of young children in the Hill District to complete it. Take the Survey Individuals interested in taking the survey can do so by either: printing, completing, and returning the physical survey to Macedonia FACE at info@macedoniaface.org or 5001 Baum Boulevard, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. complete the digital form online. Learn More Survey results are confidential. Please contact Macedonia FACE to learn more. Source Information for this post was taken directly from the Hill District Early Literacy Initiative Survey and Macedonia FACE website. Some text may have been added, paraphrased, or adapted for readability and comprehension. Related Content & Resources 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success Allegheny County Family Resource Map Highlights Supports for Locals Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs LDA of PA Offering Free Reading Tutoring to Children in Hill District 2023 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip
July 11, 2023 The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prevention Tactics Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a lasting impact on a child’s life. Fortunately, agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide strategies and resources to help define ACEs and to help caregivers and child care providers prevent traumatic experiences as much as possible before they happen, identify children whom have experienced ACEs, and respond to these experiences using trauma-informed approaches. What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? ACEs are traumatic events or circumstances that occur during childhood. These experiences can range from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, household substance abuse, domestic violence, and parental separation or divorce, among others. Through research conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, it has been revealed that traumatic experiences have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs can vary depending on the child and environment in which the child grows and learns. Some experiences can be witnessed directly, such as experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect or witnessing violence in the home or community. These experiences can also include aspects of the child’s environment that take away from a child’s sense of safety, stability, and bonding. ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress (extended or prolonged stress). Toxic stress from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune systems, and stress-response systems. Recognizing and addressing ACEs is important for promoting individual and societal well-being. Creating safe and nurturing environments for children, ensuring access to quality healthcare and mental health services, and implementing trauma-informed approaches in various settings are vital steps in preventing and addressing ACEs. Risk Protective Factors Risk factors are defined as things that increase the likelihood of experiencing ACEs. Protective factors are defined as things that protect people and decrease the possibility of experiencing ACEs. Individual, family, and community factors can affect the likelihood of these experiences, but they may or may not be direct causes of ACEs. Because ACEs include many different types of experiences and traumatic events, there are many risk and protective factors that apply to the range of different ACEs. Learn more about Individual, Family, Community Risk and Protective Factors from the CDC. Prevention Strategies for Children CDC has developed a resource to help states and communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent ACEs. It features six strategies from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence. Strengthen Economic Supports to Families: Community organizations such as faith-based and youth-serving organizations can promote policies that support families facing financial problems or help parents balance work and family responsibilities, which reduce stress and allow parents to meet children’s basic needs. Promote Social Norms That Protect Against Violence and Adversity: Encourage community organizations such as youth-serving and faith-based organizations, coaches, and caregivers to promote non-violent attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Ensure a Strong Start for Children: Involved parents, strong preschool programs, and good quality childcare get children started on the right foot and help them succeed later in life. Youth-serving and faith-based organizations can contribute to this as well. Teach Healthy Relationship Skills: Children and caregivers can both learn how to create healthy relationships and manage their emotions. Connect Children to Caring Adults and Activities: Community organizations connect young people with positive role models and provide activities for young people to learn leadership and other new skills. Communities can help young people grow and succeed at school and in life, such as getting children involved in after-school activities. Intervene to Lessen Immediate and Long-Term Harms: When ACEs occur, community organizations, can offer services and support to reduce harms and help break the cycle of adversity, including providing therapy to reduce symptoms of depression, fear or anxiety, and behavior problems. By recognizing and addressing ACEs, parents and child care providers can create a bright future for children and promote resilience, healing, and well-being. Visit the CDC website for more information about childhood trauma prevention and ACEs Resources.
May 25, 2023 Webinar: Navigating Conversations with Families about Childhood Vaccines The topic of childhood vaccines is on parents’ minds more than ever but also has become more sensitive for educators to discuss with families than many other concerns. Penn State Extension Better Kid Care will host a webinar for teachers and caregivers of young children about how to discuss childhood vaccines with families on Wednesday, May 31 at 1 p.m. The webinar will dive into why these conversations are uncomfortable at times and how professionals can approach them in ways that stay true to fact-based information while also preserving their relationships with families. Register Certificates will not be issued for attending the webinar. Attendees will receive a confirmation email as proof of their participation. They must attend from their own device in order to receive the confirmation email.
April 12, 2023 BabyTalks Series: Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships Children are born with the amazing ability to form strong bonds with their caregivers, but how do we help infants and toddlers prepare for peer relationships? Join the Office of Head Start and their National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning for this webinar, and learn how infants’ and toddlers’ experience with others shapes their understanding of themselves and their relationships with peers. This webinar will have English and Spanish captioning. Webinar Details Thursday, April 20 | 3 – 4 p.m. Virtual Register Learn More In this webinar, Beth Zack, Ph.D., and Marley Jarvis, Ph.D., from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning will present research on how children build peer relationships. Attendees will discover the importance of creating spaces where children feel like they belong and how this helps children understand themselves and others, as well as explore strategies and resources that help infants and toddlers build a strong foundation for a lifetime of healthy peer relationships. To learn more, visit the “Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships” registration page.
April 7, 2023 The Incredible Years Parenting Program Parenting is a lot of hard work! If you have a child aged 2-10, join Wesley Family Services for this virtual learning series to find ways to make parenting easier and fun for both you and your child. Program Details Sessions for this virtual learning program are offered on Zoom from 6 – 8 p.m. every Wednesday between April 26 and August 9 on the following dates: April 26 May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31 June 7 June 14 June 21 June 28 July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26 August 2 August 9 To enroll, contact Shana Orlic at (724) 217-8303 or shana.orlic@wfspa.org. Learn More The Incredible Years® Parenting Program is a ParentWISE Program of Wesley Family Services. This evidence-based program focuses on strengthening parenting competencies and fostering parent involvement in children’s school experiences, to promote children’s academic, social and emotional skills and reduce conduct problems. Anyone in a caregiving role to a child is eligible to participate (i.e. parent, step-parent, grandparent, foster parent, babysitter). Classes for the program are provided through a grant from the Westmoreland Drug & Alcohol Commission. To learn more, view the flyer for this event or visit the Wesley Family Services website.
April 5, 2023 Applications Open for Educators’ Neighborhood 2023-24 Cohort The application for the 2023-24 cohort of the Fred Rogers Institute Educators’ Neighborhood is now open. Educators’ Neighborhood is a community of educators who learn together through the life and work of Fred Rogers by studying artifacts from the Fred Rogers Archive and connecting ideas to daily practice. All applications must be submitted by May 26 at 5 p.m. About Educators’ Neighborhood This year-long opportunity brings together a cohort of educators from across the world who learn together, primarily through virtual meetings, and consider how to deepen their application of Fred Rogers’ work and theory to their work with children. The Fred Rogers Institute defines “educators” as any adult who directly serves children, youth, families, and/or other educators. Members of the 2023-24 cohort will have opportunities to participate in community discussion, present to other educators and leaders in the community, and attend: monthly whole community meetings to connect with educators across different contexts monthly small group meetings with other educators from similar contexts an opening and closing community convening to prepare for and reflect on learning from the year a mid-year community convening featuring presentations from educators within the community Application Process Before completing the application, applicants may want to consider and prepare responses to the open-response questions. Those questions include: Why do you want to be part of the Educators’ Neighborhood community? (50-100 words) What questions and topics would you like to explore with others in the community? (25-50 words) “There’s a world of difference between insisting on someone’s doing something and establishing an atmosphere in which that person can grow into wanting to do it.” What comes to mind as you reflect on this quote in the context of your work? (50-100 words) To apply, visit the Fred Rogers Institute website and complete the online application. Learn More To learn more, visit the Fred Rodgers Institute website or sign up for the Educators’ Neighborhood newsletter.
NAEYC Sponsoring Week of the Young Child Sweepstakes The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is sponsoring a Week of the Young Child (WOYC) Sweepstakes. Week of the Young Child is the first week of April, and NAEYC is offering prizes to seven lucky parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators who participate in the sweepstakes, which runs March 31 through April 14. WOYC Sweepstake Prizes Three people will win a free one-year Entry Level Membership ($30 value) Two people will win a free NAEYC Book Bundle ($70 estimated value) Two people will win a free module of Each and Every Child Training ($120 estimated value) Participate All parents, caregivers, and educators are invited to participate in the sweepstakes. To participate, simply visit the NAEYC website and complete the participation form. Learn More To learn more, visit the NAEYC website.
March 31, 2022 DAP Series Parts X, XI, and XII Now Available Trying Together is excited to announce Parts X, XI, and XII of the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Series. Through these Parts, caregivers will receive information and resources on Gender and Gender Identity; Family Dynamics; and Caring for the Caregiver. About As an early childhood nonprofit, Trying Together recognizes that a child’s parent is their first and most important caregiver. That’s why we created the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Series to assist parents and caregivers in creating high-quality learning experiences at the earliest stages of their child’s life. The series features digital and print content that provides information on critical early childhood topics. As of April 2022, 12 Parts have been published, including: Part I: Developmentally Appropriate Practice; Part II: Childhood Physical Health; Part III: Child Care; Part IV: Early Intervention and Inclusion; Part V: Safety and Emergencies; Part VI: Social-Emotional Development; Part VII: Childhood Mental Health; Part VIII: Race and Equity; and Part IX: Transitions & Routines. Featured Resources The Series features many helpful resources for families. To help you get started, Trying Together compiled a short list of featured resources for each new Part. Part X: Gender and Gender Identity Family Guide: Gender, Gender Identity, LGBTQ+ Inclusion Gender Identity Development in Early Childhood Non-Gendered Play in Early Childhood Part XI: Family Dynamics Family Dynamics: A Family Guide Types of Family Structures Navigating Sibling Relationships Part XII: Caring for the Caregiver A Guide to Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others How to Ask and Receive Help Support Resources for Parents and Caregivers Navigating the Series The Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series features a search bar and filtering options to connect parents and caregivers to content that is relevant to them. Caregivers can filter available content by Topic, Age Group, Relationship to Child, Resource Type, and Geographic Location. To test it out, visit the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series page. More Information To learn more and access the full list of resources, visit the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series webpage.
December 8, 2021 Webinar – COVID-19 Vaccines for School-Aged Children: What Parents and Families Should Know Join NAFSCE and the U.S. Department of Education on December 9 at 8:00pm, ET for an informational webinar following the official approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech age 5-11 vaccine. Registration for this virtual event is available online. During the webinar, panelists including United States Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, along with representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, will join NAFSCE Executive Director, Vito Borrello for a series of presentations and constructive conversation to support parents and families as they consider the COVID-19 vaccine for their child(ren). Parents and caregivers can learn more about the following questions: How was the vaccine developed? How many children participated in the study for approval? Will my child(ren) be safe taking the vaccine? What are the side effects? Should my child(ren) get the vaccine? Where can I take my child to get the vaccine? Parents are invited to submit questions about the vaccine on the registration form. Pre-submitted questions will help plan the content of the session. Time will also be reserved for live questions and answers at the end of the event.
October 12, 2021 New Resources for Parents and Caregivers New resources have been added to the Trying Together website for families and caregivers. These resources further Trying Together’s mission to supports high-quality care and education for young children by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the individuals who interact with them. New Resources DAP Series Parts VII, VIII, and IX As an early childhood nonprofit, Trying Together recognizes that a child’s parent is their first and most important caregiver. That’s why we created the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Series to assist parents and caregivers in creating high-quality learning experiences at the earliest stages of their child’s life. The series features digital and print content that provides information on critical early childhood topics. New topics in the DAP Series include Part VII: Childhood Mental Health; Part VIII: Race and Equity; and Part IX: Transitions & Routines. Families and caregivers may also access previous parts of the DAP Series: Part I: Developmentally Appropriate Practice; Part II: Childhood Physical Health; Part III: Child Care; Part IV: Early Intervention and Inclusion; Part V: Safety and Emergencies; and Part VI: Social-Emotional Development. Resources will continue to be added through 2022 as additional Parts are finalized. Additionally, families and caregivers may now request a set of cards in the mail at no cost. These cards provide an overview of each part of the DAP series with a quick reference to local and regional organizations. Parenting Together Pathway The Parenting Together Pathway is a video-based learning series to provide high-quality information on early childhood development to parents and caregivers in Allegheny County and surrounding areas. Launched in April 2021, the Parenting Together Pathway provides families the opportunity to learn more about: brain development; play; interactions and relationships; technology; child care; and advocacy to better support their children’s healthy growth. Two additional videos have been added to the Parenting Together Pathway: Early Intervention and Safety and Emergencies.
