Resource Toolkit for Home Visiting and other Early Childhood Professionals

Welcome to the WCWPDS Home Visiting Resource Toolkit, designed to support home visiting professionals working with families. This toolkit offers a comprehensive collection of resources, including articles, webinars, websites, books, and training opportunities. Our goal is to provide current research and practical tools to enhance your practice. Explore topics such as trauma, mental health, child development, substance abuse, and much more. If you have valuable resources to share, please contact us at wcwpds-mke@uwm.edu.

Abuse

• What is Considered Child Abuse? Psychology Today article covers the legal meaning of the term child abuse and links to states’ reporting laws and commonly asked questions about mandated reporting.

Neglect

• InBrief: The Science of NeglectThis short video, from the Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, reveals the four types of unresponsive care and the impact of neglect on a young child’s brain development. Look for other resources related to neglect on this website.

ACEs

• The CDC website has the original ACE study, resources, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ACE data, journal articles and presentation graphics.
• The Child Abuse and Prevention Board has Information related to the original ACE study and ACEs data specific to Wisconsin, including a Wisconsin ACE brief and other reports related to our state.
• Services for Families of Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Trauma: A Research-to-Practice Brief. Beginning life in the context of trauma places infants and toddlers on a compromised developmental path. This brief summarizes what is known about the impact of trauma on infants and toddlers, and the intervention strategies that could potentially protect them from the adverse consequences of traumatic experiences. Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
• How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a LifetimeNadine Burke Harris Ted Talk.
• Take The ACE Quiz — And Learn What It Does And Doesn’t Mean, NPR

Online Learning

• Childhood Adversity Narratives (CAN) Developed by 5 researchers from around the country, this webinar is meant to help inform policy makers and the public about the costs and consequences of child maltreatment and adversity. Feel free to use their work, and provide appropriate citations, to educate others.
• Marks that Matter, Sentinel Injuries, and Other Opportunities for Child Abuse Prevention is a 25-minute module that will teach you about marks that matter and sentinel injuries, including why they are significant, who is at risk, and what to do if you suspect abuse. It is intended for childcare workers, child welfare workers, family support staff, and home visitors, but any person working with children will find it a useful tool. This module can be viewed on your computer or mobile device.
• WI Mandated Reporter Online Training Reporting requirements vary slightly for a few groups. Learners can select the affiliation that best fits their role in the WI Child Welfare Professional Development System online training.
• Coping with Early Adversity and Mitigating its Effects—Core Story: Resilience From the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, this 7 min. video addresses effective ways to help children cope and build resilience through adversity.

Tools

• NEAR@Home is a training manual with guided processes to help home visitors learn and practice language and strategies to safely and effectively talk about childhood trauma and the ACEs questionnaire in a safe, respectful, and effective way for both home visitor and family.
• Tip Sheet CES
• Childhood Experiences Survey Developed through UW Milwaukee for home visitors, this validated tool expands the framework of the original ACEs survey to include additional questions around poverty, bullying, absence of a parent, and death of a close family member.

Prevention Advocacy

• Child Welfare League of America with the following text,. CWLA leads and engages its network of public and private agencies and partners to advance policies, best practices and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for children, youth and families that are vulnerable.
• Prevent Child Abuse America PCA’s mission is to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children. Their website offers an activity toolkit, stats and figures, tip sheets for parents, research and ways you can make a difference.
• Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board is committed to mobilizing research and practices that prevent the occurrence of child maltreatment. Learn about abuse and neglect risk factors and protective factors, as well as frameworks for child maltreatment prevention.
• Safe Haven for Newborns Information Safe Haven, also known as “infant relinquishment”, this law allows a parent to leave their newborn in a safe place in certain circumstances with certain individuals. Learn more about this WI law, the Maternal and Child Health Hotline and crisis support on this webpage.
• Wisconsin Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Indicator and Response Guide for Mandated Reporters (English) (Spanish)
• Awareness to Action (A2A) A2A is an initiative focused on preventing child sexual abuse by helping adults and communities take action to protect children through awareness, education, prevention, advocacy and action, through the Child Abuse Prevention Board, Children’s Hospital of WI.

Tip Sheets/ Guides

• Tip Sheet: Talking to Children and Teens about Child Abuse Children need accurate, age-appropriate information about child sexual abuse and confidence that adults they know will support them. This tip sheet can help!
• Books to Help Parents Talk About and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse The Committee for Children features a list of books which provide valuable information for parents to keep their kids safe.
• Long-term consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect fact sheets.
• Babies Cry, Be Prepared Free downloadable brochure in English, Spanish and Hmong from Child Abuse and Prevention Board.

Websites

• Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect The WI Dept of Children and Families has outlined the signs of neglect and physical, sexual, and emotional child abuse, to help readers be prepared to recognize situations that may need to be reported.

Text Resources

• Services for Families of Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Trauma: A Research-to-Practice Brief, Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation
• CTA Library The CTA is a Community of Practice working to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research and education. CTA translates emerging findings about the human brain and child development into practical implications for the way we nurture, protect, enrich, educate and heal children.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health

• Depression in Mothers: More Than the Blues: A Toolkit for Family Service Providers through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014)
• Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders: Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health and Harvard Medical School Guide/Website

For Parents:

• Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health Overview, provided by Postpartum Support International, offers information on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders for women concerned about their mental health during or after pregnancy.
• Resources for Mothers and Families from the Periscope Project includes information about several support groups for mothers concerned about perinatal related mental health disorders.
• HelpLine for Moms, offered through Postpartum Support International, 1-800-944-4773 (English and Spanish), or text 503-894-9453. Available 24 hrs. a day, callers will be asked to leave a confidential message and a trained and caring volunteer will return your call or text. They will listen, answer questions, offer encouragement and connect you with local resources, as needed.

Professional Reading

• Home Visiting and Maternal Depression: Seizing the Opportunities to Help Mothers and Young Children – Urban Institute, 2011
• Supporting Infants, Toddlers, and Families Impacted by Caregiver Mental Health Problems, Substance Abuse, and Trauma: A Community Guide
• Maternal Depression: Why It Matters to an Anti-Poverty Agenda for Parents and Children Websites – CLASP, 2014
• National Institute on Mental Health
• National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness Mental Health Newsletter highlightingStress Reduction for families and professionals (2016). Includes resources in English and Spanish, links to tips and articles.
• National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness Mental Health Newsletter highlighting Parental Depression (2016) includes links to articles, briefs, and action steps for families and professionals.

Online Training and Educational Modules

• Perinatal Mental Health Modules is a two-part series designed for home visitors to better understand the signs and symptoms of perinatal mental health issues and how they impact mothers and families. Throughout the training, you will view excerpts from a live webinar taught by Jen Perfetti, MA, LPC, a licensed therapist at Luna Perinatal Counseling and the Clinical and Professional Development Coordinator with the UW Department of Psychiatry Parent-Infant Mental Health Programs.
• WI Dept. of Health Services’ Perinatal Mental Health: Screening, Referral and Supportive Interventions for Women and Families webinar series includes videos, references, information for clinicians, and handouts for women and their families. Developed by leaders in the fields of psychiatry and women’s health, this series covers a variety of topics related to perinatal mental health.
• The Periscope Project (Medical College of WI) offers free online modules on common topics related to perinatal psychiatric disorders. While these modules target medical providers, two of the modules, Perinatal Mood Disorders and Screening and Follow-up, are relevant for family support professionals, as well.

Websites

• The Periscope Project website contains work from the Wisconsin project which hosts a consultation line and other resources to support professionals working with new parents, that may be struggling with perinatal mental health and depression. This site provides information on screening guidelines and resources beyond the Perinatal Algorithm training. On the site you will find screening tools, educational modules/ videos and tools on a variety of perinatal mental health topics.
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers authoritative information about mental health disorders well as information on a range of mental health topics and the latest mental health research.
• Mental Health America, learn about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, facts, statistics, how to live mentally healthy, finding help, public policy, screening, and the latest news on mental health.
• B4Stage4is an initiative that encourages all of us to have a new perspective about mental health. Learn about both prevention and intervention strategies, including the B4Stage4 philosophy, and information and resources available through “Get informed, Get screened and Get help”.

Videos

• Mental Health, Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahome Home Visitor Training
• Brain Basics from the National Institute of Mental Health provides information on how the brain works, how mental illnesses are disorders of the brain, and ongoing research that helps us better understand and treat disorders.
• Health Nexus Santé’s Perinatal Mood Disorders:An Interdisciplinary Training Video (25:03) offered in four chapters. Reviews the risk factors and symptoms of perinatal mood disorders. Testimonials by women diagnosed with a perinatal mood disorder and counseling vignettes are included.
• Imagine There Was No Stigma to Mental Illness| Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman | TEDxCharlottesville (22:07)
• Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness(4:33)

Assessment

• Tip Sheet PSS
• Self-Help and Mental Health Screening Tools, from Mental Health America. This webpage contains great resources for individuals exploring their own mental health, including screening tools.

Prevalence

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mental Health by the Numbers,
• National Institutes of Health,Prevalence, includes rates for various mental illness diagnoses in the U.S.
• Mental Health America of Wisconsin

Fact Sheets

• Depression During and After Pregnancy, WomensHealth.gov
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers fact sheets related to a variety of mental health issues.

Resources

Advocacy

Instructional

Reading Materials

Talking Points

• HV Talking Point – Home visitors can advocate for their roles and their programs as concerned citizens, during their own private time. You can use this document to help policy-makers understand the value of home visiting and your role
• Value of PD Talking Points – Professional development helps family support professionals feel more confident and competent in their roles.

Websites

• Be an Advocate for Young Children, Supporting Families Together Association – Learn about different types of advocacy, how you can get involved, who to contact, and current advocacy alerts (eg. News from the WI Children’s Caucus, webinars, etc.)
• Zero to Three Home Visiting: Supporting Parents and Child Developmentincludes resources and tools to help policymakers and professional understand the importance of investing in home visiting programs and support the implementation of home visiting programs as part of a comprehensive and coordinated system of services for young children and their families.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Articles

• Principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Access and Equity by Tina Q Tan (September 2019) https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/220/Supplement_2/S30/5552351?login=true
• Reflections on Research: Toward an Open Data Toolkit Centered on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Principles (12/9/2020) by Rachel Woodbrook https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/166087/Woodbrook_DEIADataToolkit_LYRASIS_Whitepaper.pdf?sequence=1
• Anti – Racism Daily https://antiracismdaily.com/ “Each day, we offer an overview on current events and apply an anti-racism lens. Learn how practices embedded in our politics, criminal justice system, and workplaces enforce systemic oppression – and what you can do about it.”
• Privilege 101: A Quick and Dirty Guide by Sian Ferguson (September 29, 2014) https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/09/what-is-privilege/

Videos

• How to get Serious about Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace by Janet Stovall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvdHqS3ryw0 (September 13, 2018) TED Talk “Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder — and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there? In this candid talk, inclusion advocate Janet Stovall shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.”

Belonging

• The Essential Power of Belonging by Caroline Clarke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNiGny7OlWg&list=TLPQMTMwODIwMjEJgfS2KPFg2Q&index=6 TEDx (11:28) “Author and journalist Caroline Clarke explores our fundamental need for belonging and how critical it is not only to every individual’s fulfillment and success but to our collective wellbeing and future.”
• Just Belonging: Finding the Courage to Interrupt Bias by Kori Carew TEDx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIf43L6hNkM&list=TLPQMTMwODIwMjEJgfS2KPFg2Q&index=3 (19:16) “A moment of racial tension presents a choice. Will we be silent about implicit and unconscious bias, or will we interrupt bias for ourselves and others? Justice, belonging, and community are at stake.”

Colorism

• Colorism https://www.nccj.org/colorism-0 the National Conference for Community and Justice “In this bulletin, we will be discussing the topic of Colorism. You will find history, videos, articles/handouts, statistics and questions to ponder related to this issue.”
• People of Color Discuss the Impact of ‘Colorism’ on GMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIx131aaY6A July 22, 2020 (6:28) Research shows people with darker skin experience an increased number of problems, including socioeconomic issues. Amira Adawe of The Beautywell Project weighs in on how to fight the bias.

Cultural Humility 101

• How to Outsmart Your Own Unconscious Bias by Valerie Alexander TEDx (October 22, 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP-cqFLS8Q4 (17:23)
• Sometimes You’re A Caterpillar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRiWgx4sHGg&t=1s

Websites

• Adoption
• Mental Health Services
• Services
• Children’s Bureau Express
• National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown University. The mission of the NCCC is to increase the capacity of health care and mental health care programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems to address growing diversity, persistent disparities, and to promote health and mental health equity.
• The Cross Cultural Health Care Program offers a Cultural Competence Resource Guidefor health and social service providers.
• University of Kansas Community Health and Development Center’s Community Toolbox, Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World, features 11 topics related to Culture and Diversity.
• African American Lives Today, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Harvard School of Public Health. Find research data from a national survey examining African-Americans’ views on their personal and family lives, community, experiences of discrimination and financial situations. There are links to research on health issues faced by African-Americans in our country.
• The Ways: Stories on Culture & Language from Native Communities Around the Central Great Lakes.

Videos

• The Danger of a Single Story, 2009, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, TED Talks
• My Year of Reading a Book from Every Country in the World, Ted Talk, Ann Morgan, (12:03 min)
• How Culture Connects to Healing and Recovery, Ted Talk, Fayth Parks (13:40 min)

Online Training Resources

• Allies for Reaching Community Health Equity offers monthly online training events. For a calendar of online training events, check out the Culture of Health Institute for Leadership Development (CHILD).
• 5 Diversity Modules include a General Diversity Module, Amish Culture, Hispanic Culture, Hmong Culture and Native American Culture for general audiences and adapted modules for clinical providers from the La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium, UW Lacrosse.
• Working With the African American Father: The Forgotten Parent
  Authors: California Social Work Education Center
  includes objectives, agenda, and trainer and trainee
  materials to develop professional practice working with African-American father’s and address systemic biases.

Professional Reading

• What Works for African American Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
  Authors: Bandy and Moore
  Identifies programs that do and do not work and intervention strategies that contribute to program success.
• Culturally Diverse Parent-Child and Family Relationships: Guide for Social Workers and Other Practitioners
  Author: Webb
  Reviews the parent-child relationships and caregiving practices of subgroups of various racial and ethnic groups, outlines ethical issues in socialw ork with culturally diverse children, and describes a frameowrk for culturally responsive practice.
• Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide for Wokring with Children and Thier Families
  Authors: Lynch and Hanson
  Information on working with families and children with disabilities from specific cultrual, ethnnic, and language groups.
• Understanding Our New Racial Reality Starts with the Unconscious
  Source: Greater Good – the Science of Meaningful Life
• McK-V Inquirer: A newsletter of helpful tips & resources for serving children and youth experiencing homelessness found on the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners website. Scroll down to STATE RESOURCES and click on the issue you want to read.
• Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice,National Association of Social Workers (2015)
• Father Involvement and Child Welfare: The Voices of Men of Color, Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, Vol. 11, Number 1 (2014)

Resources

• Developing Culturally Responsive Approaches to Serving Diverse Populations: A Resource Guide for Community-Based Organizations This 2017 resource guide identifies easily accessible resources on cultural competency that organizations can use to become more responsive to the needs of their targeted populations, and to help attract funds to support their important work.
• Head Start’s Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center(ECLKC). Administrators, teachers, caregivers, and families can use these resources to help ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate services for all children birth to 5. These resources can also help staff provide high quality services for children who are dual language learners (DLLs). Programs can promote positive experiences for DLLs by holding high expectations. They can also emphasize children’s cultural and linguistic strengths.
• Head Start’s ECLKC Family Engagementwebpage, which includes the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework, Boosting School Readiness through Family Engagement (simulation series), Engaging and Goal-Setting with Families, and the Family Engagement Family, Language and Literacy webinar series. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/family-engagement

Reading Materials

• Chamber Executive: Where Workforce Development Begins, October 2012, Libby Doggett
• Partnerships: Frameworks for Working Together. This guidebook, developed for the Strengthening Nonprofits: A Capacity Builder’s Resource Library, is helpful to any organization or coalition of organizations that wants to know more about establishing and managing partnerships. (updated 2010)
• Guiding Principles for Public-Private Partnerships – A Tool to Support Engagement to Achieve Public Health Goals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2018
• Nonprofit Collaborations: Why Teaming Up Can Make Sense, Forbes Magazine, April 9, 2013.

Videos

• Business Leaders Team up to Benefit Education, Economy – ReadyNation
• Change the First five Years and You Can Change Everything – Ounce of Prevention
• Smart Beginnings and the Workforce Pipeline

Local Organizations

• Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
• Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention “The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board is committed to mobilizing research and practices to prevent child maltreatment in the state.”
• Supporting Families Together Association. SFTA is Wisconsin’s statewide member association for organizations and individuals committed to making every early childhood a great one. The core membership consists of Wisconsin’s Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs) and Family Resource Centers (FRCs). Individual membership is made up of other like-minded individuals.

Apps and Activities

• ASQ activities
• Milestone Tracker Mobile App, Milestones matter! Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with CDC’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists; get tips from CDC for encouraging your child’s development; and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing. Photos and videos in this app illustrate each milestone and make tracking them for your child easy and fun!
• Text4Baby. The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition supports Text4baby, a free mobile text messaging service that provides moms-to-be, new moms and family members with information to help them care for themselves and their baby throughout pregnancy and the baby’s first year.
• VroomThis practical app helps parents to help their babies brains grow during their regular daily routines! Using the science of early learning, this app acknowledges parents as their child’s #1 brain builder, helping turn ordinary or fussy times into fun shared moments.
• Sesame Street Fun Games for KidsParents can use these free online educational games, videos and coloring activities for preschoolers.
• Sesame Streets’ Healthy Habits for Life – We Have the Moves, This resource contains fun-filled activities to help build physical activity into everyday moments. Parents will find physical activities that require minimal time and equipment; activities for both large and small spaces and groups; fun and easy ways to add more active play into everyday routines; and ways to link movement to different developmental areas.
• Bright by TextParents receive free, timely Bright by Three age-appropriate activities, games and resources in English or Spanish.
• Love, Talk, Read, Sing, PlayProvides information for parents to support their child’s development in diverse ways. The app is available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese or Nepali.
• KineduOffers 1,600 activity ideas for baby’s development, 0 – 4 years.
• Activities for Babies on Pinterest
• Preschool Games on Pinterest.
• Parents Magazine Educational Gamesfor elementary school children.
• Breathe, Think, Do mindfulness app from Sesame Street. This free app helps teach young children, ages 2 – 5, problem-solving, self-control, planning and task persistence. Available for iOSand Android
• Calm free meditation app focuses on meditation, relaxation and sleep. Their “sleep stories” function tells tales to help users fall asleep easier. There’s also a section for “Calm Kids” that parents may enjoy, as well! Available for iOSand Android

Fact Sheets

• Developmental screening information and fact sheet.
• Social-emotional development for infants and toddlers.
• Social-emotional development for infants and toddlers related to peer behavior.
• HHS SED Milestones
• HHS SED Research Background
• HHS SED Tips for Early Childhood Teachers and Providers
• HHS SED Tips for Families
• Kids in the Monitoring Zone: What to Do Next, ASQ
• Screening and Assessment in Early Childhood Settings,There can be some confusion about the difference between screening and assessment in early childhood settings. This infographic helps illustrate key characteristics for each type of tool.

Articles

• Screening for Social Emotional Concerns: Considerations in the Selection of Instruments.
• How kids’ screen-time guidelines came about — and how to enforce them, Kendall Powell
• Deb McNelis Promoting Brain Development Through Play and Nurture, Jennifer Rojas
• What Babies Understand about Adult Sadness, NPR
• Strength-based parenting improves children’s resilience and stress levels, Medical Press
• The Science of Resilience – Why some children can thrive despite adversity, Harvard
• Why maternal mental health matters: a case for early childhood development, Maternal Health Task Force Blog
• How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior – Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious, Child Mind Institute
• What Poverty Does to the Young Brain, The New Yorker
• How to Prevent Mental Health Problems? Begin at the Beginning With Infants and Toddlers – Matthew Melmed, The Huffington Post
• The Difference Between Tantrums and Sensory Meltdowns, Understood
• The Neuroscience of Calming a Baby, Psychology Today
• What Your Baby Can’t Tell You, Janet Lansbury – elevating child care
• Infants create new knowledge while sleeping, Science Daily
• Infant temperaments may reflect parents’ cultural values, Washington State University
• Some Early Childhood Experiences Shape Adult Life, But Which Ones?, NPR
• The scientific evidence against spanking, timeouts, and sleep training, Quartz
• Boy toddlers need extra help dealing with negative emotions, experts urge, Science Daily
• Helping Your Child’s Speech and Language, In the Playroom
• How raising kids within routines boosts social and emotional health, Desert News – National
• Understanding the Relation Between Temperament and Behavior, The Urban Child Institute
• Family Engagement and School Readiness Series, National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement
• How Supportive Parenting Protects the Brain, The Atlantic
• Benefits of bilingual children, FastCompany
• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Policies and Practices to Foster the Social-Emotional Development of Young Children, provides an overview of early childhood mental health consultation, current issues in the field and possible future directions. The brief also provides a snapshot of current programs across the nation and highlights some of the challenges and innovations that are shaping the field. (Zero to Three)
• Seeing the Importance of Vision Development,research-to-policy article from the Urban Child Institute.
• “Baby’s Vision development: What to Expect the First Year” from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Online Training

• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Women, Infants, and Children Program site provides an online training course on anthropometrics: weighing, measuring, and interpreting measurement results.
• The Association of Maternal Child Health Programs’ Communicating the Value of Developmental Screeningfor professionals working directly with families and Title V leaders and other stakeholders to articulate the value of developmental screening.

Padlet

• CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND HEALTH RESOURCES – Milwaukee Health Department Strong Baby Program – Are you a new parent, have young children, or an agency that serves families with young children? Check out these links to learn more about your baby’s incredible growth and development – and find resources to support you and your awesome baby!

PowerPoints

Resource Guides

• Tips and Resources for FamiliesU.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Office of the Administration for Children & Families – Early Childhood Development provides web links to resources that support the development (including social emotional) of young children.
• Zero to Three’s Parent FavoritesFree parenting resources include articles (English and Spanish), series infographics and videos related to early development.
• Resource Guide: Child Development Resources for Parents and Providers From the U.S. Health & Human Services Child Care State Capacity Building Center, this guide provides links to resources for both parents and providers.

Resources to Share

• Prevent Blindness Wisconsin offers fact sheets about screening for and protecting children’s vision.
• Preventative Pediatric Health Care Chart
• Bright Futures Guidelines is designed to provide a common framework for well child care from birth to age 21. Explore the Bright Futures materials and tools. If you are asked for a username/password, click cancel, and you should still be routed to the page.
• Feelings Poster
• 5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return
• Kids in the monitoring zone: What to do next ASQ
• UW Extension’s Just in Time Parenting newsletters are free parenting newsletters that are delivered by email and specific to a child’s age and needs. They are designed so that information that’s relevant to a family is automatically delivered to them just in time! Newsletters are specific to prenatal, newborn, the first year, second – third years (bimonthly), and fourth – fifth years (bimonthly). Newsletters can be downloaded from this webpage, too.
• Articles for Families on Play The National Assc. for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers a webpage with links to articles for families that answer the question, “Why is Play Important?” and offer Play in Action ideas.
• Power of Play: Building Skills and Having Fun video (5:33 min.) View this video with parents at Zero to Three’s website.
• Sensory Activities 0-18 Months Games and activities that support sensory development in very young children.
• Preschooler Creative Learning and Development Ideas and Activities Raisingchildren.net.au provides information for parents on all aspects of children’s development, from pregnancy – teens and family life. This website contains articles, ideas, strategies, videos and more!
• The Expectation Gap Downloadable from Zero to Three, these resources help parents understand the benchmarks of social emotional development with infographics, articles and more.
• Articles for Families on Behavior and Development These articles support parents as they help their child develop social-emotional competence.
• An Activity Book for African American Families: Helping Children Cope with Crisis Download this activity book, developed by the National Black Child Development Institute and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to support the social-emotional development of children and families dealing with crisis.

Tools

• The Well-Visit Planner is based on national recommendations for parents/guardians of children 4 months to 6 years old. This web tool will result in a personalized visit guide of questions and topics for a child’s next well-child visit. This was developed as a project of The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative and Oregon Health and Science University. English and Spanish.

Videos

• Delighting in Writing – Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL).
  When young children are given opportunities, they can actively construct meaningful pictures and stories using written symbols.
• Serve and Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry – The Center for the Developing Child.
  Video 2 from the 3 part series “Three Core Concepts in Early Development” . Young Children naturally reach out for interaction through babbling, facial expressions, and gestures.
• 6 Core Strengths for Child Development – Dr Bruck Perry
• Love, a low tech solution – Laura Peterson, TEDx Talks
• Why is it important to Comfort your child?, Hospital for Sick Children
• Developmental Screening, Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)
• 5 Tips for Brain-Building Serve and Return– Harvard Center on the Developing Child
• Early Recognition of Child Development Problems/Educational Video(4:33 min) The Center for Disease Control’s Learn the Signs: Act Early campaign to help parents recognize developmental milestones. Embed link in name of video.
• Early Signs of Autism Video Tutorial (9:02 min) Video compares/contrasts typical development with those of children showing signs of early Autism Spectrum Disorder. Kennedy Krieger Institute, Center for Autism and Related Disorders.
• Brain Builders, First Five Years Fund Early Childhood Education

Websites

• The Power of Connection: Welcome to The Power of Connection Online Experience! The first years of life is a time of incredible potential and yet of greatest vulnerability. Join us as we share some magical moments of early development with you and highlight just how important YOU are in ensuring a strong foundation for bright futures. This is a place for families and community members to deepen understanding of the complex and rich emotional worlds of our babies and young children.
• When Feelings Overwhelm: How to Help a Child 50 resources to help children manage their emotions includes resources useful to professionals and parents.
• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers information on Wisconsin’s Newborn Screening program and the Wisconsin Sound Beginnings newborn hearing screening program.
• The Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners provides information about the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards.
• Learn the Signs, Act Early
• Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin (CHAW, in the acronym lingo), implements programs and initiatives, and offers resources on many health topics, including injury prevention and child death review, oral health, asthma, early literacy, and Medical Home.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers free childhood developmental resources for professionals and parents, including developmental milestone fact sheets, information on children’s mental health, multimedia resources, research, articles, and positive parenting tips.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Learn the Signs: Act Early downloadable resources for professionals and parents. Covers developmental milestones for newborns through age five. Downloadable resources available in English and Spanish.
• Public Broadcasting Service’s The ABC’s of Child Development for Early Care Providers includes articles, quick tips and activity ideas
• Center on the Developing Child – Harvard University. Excellent downloadable articles, briefs, and videos related to the science of early childhood, including: brain architecture, serve and return, toxic stress, executive function & self-regulation and resilience.

Subtopics

Children with special needs

• Wisconsin First Step is an information and referral service hotline with phone and online chat forums and a resource directory to assist Wisconsin families and providers working with children and youth with special needs.
• Family Voices of Wisconsin promotes family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Family Voices provides tools for families to make informed decisions, advocates for improved public and private policies, forges partnerships with families and professionals, and serves as a health care resource.
• What are the signs of autism?Since early treatment can improve outcomes for children diagnosed with autism, Autism Speaks stresses the importance of learning early signs of autism. The side offers a helpful Video Glossary after a brief registration.
• The Adapting Activities & Materials for Young Children with Disabilities handout, with reference citations, provides key ideas, general teaching ideas, and activity adaptations for children with special needs.
• Do2Learn This website for individuals with special needs provides thousands of free pages with social skills and behavior regulation activities and guidance.
• Child Neurology FoundationThis website offers insights and suggestions from child neurology experts for caregivers to engage with special needs children to nurture their development. Their mission: To serve as a collaborative center of education and support for caregivers and their children with neurologic conditions.
• Helping Your Child with Autism Thrivewith the following text. This Help Guide provides parenting tips, treatments and services to help parents support the development of a child on the Autism Spectrum.

Language Development

• 12 Ways to Support Language Development for Infants and Toddlers from the National Assc. of Education for Young Children (NAEYC). Simple strategies for parents to use to support language development with very young children.
• Resources for Home-Based PractitionersThe Center for Early Literacy Learning model and approach includes both evidence-based intervention and implementation practices for practitioners and parents to promote the use of early literacy learning practices.
• Storyline OnlineThe SAF-AFRA Foundations’ award-winning children’s literacy website streams videos featuring actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Great for all kids, including those with special needs. Download the free app, too!

Immunizations

• The DHS Wisconsin Immunization Registry offers a public link so that parents may access their children’s immunizations records. Through the following link, health professionals may also access materials (in several languages), as well as trainings to support their immunization programs and data collection efforts. The WIR can also be accessed in English, Spanish, or Hmong from this site. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/wir.htm
• Through these Centers for Disease Control and Prevention links, you can download Easy-To-Read Immunization Schedules for Infants and Children, and for Teens in both English and Spanish. There is also a chart for Adults. On the same page, there is a link to a downloadable tracking chart. Families can write in their children’s measurements: Immunizations and Developmental Milestones for Your Child from Birth Through 6 Years Old
• The Immunization Action Coalition offers vaccine information for families, coalitions, and health professionals.

Infant and Early Childhood Safety and Injury Prevention

• Children’s Safety Network offers information on a wide variety of child injury prevention topics, with links to further resources.
• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin provides Safe Sleep information in English and Spanish.
• Safe Kids Wisconsin has information on child injury prevention programs and events, including statewide car seat check dates and links to resources such as the Safe Sleep Cribs for Kids.
• Car Seats: Information for Families.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’sCar Seats and Booster Seats helps parents find and provides information on how to select a car seat, based on a child’s age and size. It includes ease-of-use ratings that lets parents compare seats to find the right one for their child.
• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Car Seat Safetywebpage, includes information on car seat clinics, laws and best practices and fact sheets in English and Spanish.

Dental

• Pediatric Dentistry: Common Treatment Options The most common pediatric dental services include dental exams and cavity fillings. These dentists also specialize in tooth extractions, preventive treatments, and restorative treatments. From NewMouth.

Hearing and Vision

• “The Importance of Stimulating a Child’s Vision” research-to-policy article from the Urban Child Institute.
• “Vision Development in Preschool and School-aged Children”from the American Academy of Ophthalmology”.
• “Prevent Blindness Wisconsin” offers fact sheets about screening for, and protecting, children’s vision”
• Seeing the Importance of Vision Development,research-to-policy article from the Urban Child Institute.
• “Baby’s Vision development: What to Expect the First Year” from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Lead Prevention

• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers information childhood lead poisoning and lead-free housing: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/lead/create-lead-safe-housing.htm
• On this Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, you can Learn about Lead, learn how to Protect Your Family, and find resources to work with children and families. The EPA also offers lead (plomo) information in Spanish.

Safe Sleep

• Safe Sleep for BabiesUpdates to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep recommendations to protect against SIDS and sleep-related deaths are provided in this 10/24/16 video and accompanying article.
• American Academy of Pediatrics’ Task Force on SIDS: What’s New in 2016, Dr. Rachel Moon, MD, internationally recognized expert in SIDS and post-neonatal infant mortality. 52:33 minutes.
• Study: Parents not following safe sleep advice for infantsin AAP News, Aug. 15, 2016.
• American Academy of Pediatrics section on Child Death Review and Prevention – Safe Sleepincludes policy and publications, information for families, safe sleep campaigns and frequently asked questions related to safe sleep practices for infants.
• Safe to Sleeppublic education campaign led by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development contains science-based information about SIDS/Safe Sleep, campaign materials, outreach materials, videos and more.
• March of Dimes Safe Sleep for your Baby, offers information on how much sleep a baby needs, the safest place for baby to sleep, how to put baby to sleep safely and bedtime routines.
• How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. This article for parents addresses the dangers of unsafe sleep environments for babies and the pre- and postnatal recommendations from the AAP, through babies’ first year of life.
• Your New Baby Safe at Home.
• Cribs for Kids A national safe sleep initiative since 1998, their mission is to prevent deaths caused in unsafe sleeping environments by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing safe sleep for their babies and by providing portable cribs to families who, otherwise, cannot afford a safe place for their babies to sleep.
• Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin, with the WI Dept. of Health Services Maternal and Child Health Title V program, provides tools that support tribal and local health departments in addressing infant safe sleep. The website includes a safe sleep video, Sleep Baby Safe training modules, training materials, newborn nest and safe sleep local campaign examples. Educational materials available in several languages.

Online Training

• Marks that Matter, Sentinel Injuries, and Other Opportunities for Child Abuse Prevention is a 25-minute module that will teach you about marks that matter and sentinel injuries, including why they are significant, who is at risk, and what to do if you suspect abuse. It is intended for childcare workers, child welfare workers, family support staff, and home visitors, but any person working with children will find it a useful tool. This module can be viewed on your computer or mobile device.

Best Practices and Services:

• Home Visiting Best Practices: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s home visiting best practices for COVID-19 are currently out of date. However, the following is the CDC’s guidance for healthcare personnel as of March 18, 2024 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel
• Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals: Please explore a vast collection of resources for Rapid Response Virtual Home Visitinghere.

Resources for Families:

• PBS Kids For Parents: Explore PBS’ COVID-19 resources for parents here.

Local Information:

• Wisconsin DHS COVID-19 Updates: Stay informed with the latest updates from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Advocacy

• Survivors of Domestic ViolenceMay Enroll in Health Care at ANY TIMEHealth centers and domestic and sexual violence advocacy organizations can partner to support survivor health and prevent violence. Through cross-trainings and warm referrals, providers and advocates are able to provide comprehensive coordinated care for survivors and their families.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence Take ActionNNEDV asks advocates and allies to contact Congress at key times to influence legislation and funding for domestic violence programs. NNEDV will ask you to make phone calls, send an email or take action on social media sites. Taking a few minutes to contact your elected officials can mean a world of difference to a survivor of domestic violence.

Professional Reading

• Building Domestic Violence Health Care Responses in Indian Country: A Promising Practices Report, The Family Violence Protection Fund
• Stop Asking Already: 6 Reasons Why Intimate Partner Violence Survivors Stay in Their Relationships, Everyday Feminism
• In February 2012, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (now the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology) issued a position paper recommending universal screening for intimate partner violence.

Learning Modules

• Domestic Violence: Understanding the Basics
• DVeducation.ca, sponsored by Women’s College Hospital, Canada, has learning modules targeting health care professionals and others can benefit from the information, as well. You must register to access the free modules. Embed link in title.
• How Much Do you Know About Stalking? Quizfrom the Stalking Resource Center of the Nat’l Center for Victims of Crime, from the Office of Violence Against Women, U.S. Dept. of Justice. Embed link in title of quiz.
• Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse: Adjudicating this Hidden Dimension of Domestic ViolenceThis online course covers the legal, medical and social science aspects of intimate partner sexual abuse. It is focused on judges but is also intended for a multidisciplinary audience including court personnel. You can treat this website as a course and take it straight through or as a resource, accessing the background resources, modules, developing issues, recommendations and case studies on an as-needed basis. Registration is required for the free modules, developed by the National Judicial Education Program of Legal Momentum.
• See the Signs: Speak OutFree bystander training programs available from a partnership of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, JWI, No More and Avon Foundation. Be an Upstander, learn how to Recognize, Respond and Act. Check out these free online modules, available in English and Spanish, with registration.

Resources for Parents

• Children and Domestic Violence Fact Sheet Series – The National Child Trauma Stress Network Domestic Violence Collaborative Group announces a new series of fact sheets created for parents whose children have been affected by domestic violence. The set of 10 fact sheets gets to the heart of the experiences and needs of these children and families, and offers education in support of their resilience and recovery.
• Resources for Families What do kids need? Find Best Practices for serving children, youth and parents experiencing domestic violence.
• The Childhelp National Abuse Hotline is available 24 hrs. a day, every day of the year. All calls are anonymous and toll-free. Communication is available in 170 languages. Downloadable resources, related to safety plans, dealing with difficult behavior words of encouragement for children and more, are also available.

Websites

• The Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to inform and strengthen domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts at the individual, community, and societal levels. It currently includes two national resource centers, four special issue resource centers, three culturally-specific resource centers, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the National LGBTQ DV Capacity Building Learning Center
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline aids victims of domestic violence 24 hours a day. Hotline advocates assist victims, and anyone calling on their behalf, by providing crisis intervention, safety planning and referrals to local service providers. The hotline receives more than 24,000 calls a month. 800-799-SAFE (7233)
• End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin mission is to promote social change that transforms societal attitudes, practices and policies to prevent and eliminate domestic violence, abuse and oppression. Their website includes resources access to services, economic justice, legal issues, public policy, outreach to underserved communities and more.
• Futures Without Violence provides resources and training related to all aspects of violence, including webinars, resources on a continuum of topics related to violence, and downloadable articles/manuals.
• For almost two decades, the National Health Resource Centeron Domestic Violence (The Center) has supported health care professionals, domestic violence experts, survivors, and policy makers at all levels as they improve health care’s response to domestic violence. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Family & Youth Service Bureau, funds the Center. Embed link in italicized name.
• The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health was established in 2005 with funding from the FVPSP. Its mission is to develop and promote accessible, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed responses to IPV and other lifetime trauma so that survivors and their children can access the resources that are essential to their safety and well-being.
• State and national resources for domestic violence, includes a safety plan, national domestic violence hotline, state-by-state legal information, and more
• Help for Abused and Battered Women provided by HELPGUIDE.org, a trusted guide to mental, emotional and social health through a partnership with Harvard University
• National Indigenous Women’s Resource CenterThe Mission of NIWRC is to support culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy and to provide national leadership to ending gender-based violence in Indigenous communities through the development of educational materials and programs, direct technical assistance, and the development of local and national policy that builds the capacity of Indigenous communities and strengthens the exercise of tribal sovereignty. Access educational and advocacy resources on this website.
• The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a social change organization, is dedicated to creating a social, political and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists.
• Youth.govVictims of teen dating violence often keep the abuse a secret. They should be encouraged to reach out to trusted adults like parents, teachers, school counselors, youth advisors, or health care providers. They can also seek confidential counsel and advice from professionally trained adults and peers. Find resources for teens involved in abusive relationships here.

Toolkit

• Transitional Housing ToolkitThis toolkit is meant to provide transitional housing providers with easy access to information and resources to enhance services to survivors. The information provided here addresses frequently asked questions, common challenges, best practices, templates for adaptation, and resources for additional information and assistance.

Webinar

• Domestic Violence Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahoma Home Visitor Training. Enter ‘Oklahoma Home Visitor Training, Domestic Violence webinar’ in website’s search bar to gain access to the training.
• Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahoma Home Visitor Training. August 2008 – Prevention Webinar presented by the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect’ in website’s search bar to access webinar

Online Training

• Boosting School Readiness through Effective Family EngagementSeries, “What you do and say matters! Explore and practice everyday strategies to develop Positive Goal-Oriented Relationships with a family. Four different simulations provide strategies and opportunities for you to practice skills to build bonds with families, help families develop and set goals, explore strength-based attitudes during challenging times, and have conversations about developmental concerns. Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, U.S. Dept. of Health Services

Reading Materials

• “Engaging Families in Case Planning,” Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012
• Strength-based parenting improves children’s resilience and stress levels Medical Press
• Why Don’t We Prepare Men for Fatherhood? The Good Men Project
• Engaging Families in Home Visiting: Why Does Family Engagement Matter?, The Institute for Child and Family Well-Being (UW-Milwaukee and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin)
• Engaging Families: Field Guide to Making Home Visits Matter.“This field guide intended for social workers in child welfare, includes strategies for engaging families, steps for working with resistance and developing a working agreement, and tasks that a worker or support person can do to assist families through each stage of the process.” Maine Dept. of Children and Families Div. of Youth and Family Services, 2012.
• Family Engagement: Partnering with Families to Improve Child Welfare Outcomes, Bulletin for Professionals, Sept. 2016. Child Welfare Information Gateway. Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS.
• News You Can Use: A Circle of Support for Infants and Toddlers – Reflective Practices and Strategies in Early Head Start,Explore strategies and issues to consider to overcome a break down in reflective practice, and suggestions for encouraging parents to reflect and build on parenting practices.

Recognition

• Appreciation Coupon_English
• Appreciation Coupon_Spanish

Toolkits

• Resources including Public Service Announcements, media strategies and talking points are available by clicking the link to the Parents Anonymous NPLM toolkit.

Videos

Early Intervention Video Library “This video library is designed to be a central resource for EI videos which can be used for professional development, preservice preparation, public awareness, and individual study. These videos address a variety of topics and represent EI as provided in a variety of states. All videos embedded in this site are available as free resources.”

• ANA – Code of Ethics
• NAEYC – Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment
• NOHS – Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals
• NASW – Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers
• NASW Setting and Maintaining Professional Boundaries

Reading Materials

• Home Visitors’ Handbook: Ethical Considerations, The Office of Head Start, in the Administration for Children and Families provides an interactive online handbook for home visitors. This page of the handbook focuses on ethics.
• Maintaining Professional Boundaries and Ethics in the Home Visitation Setting, (PowerPoint) Michael Provost, LCSW, Parents as Teachers Program Director (Parents Possible).
• Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma in Child Welfare in The New Social Worker (Fall, 2008).
• Client Relationships and Ethical Boundaries for Social Workers in Child Welfarein The New Social Worker (Winter, 2009).

Resources

• A Minor’s Right to Consent to Treatment and Authorize Disclosure of Protected Health Information.
• Crisis Services: Someone to Contact. The State of Wisconsin provides several health hotlines (and warmlines) to connect individuals to crisis and non-crisis services.
• Prenatal Care Coordination.Prenatal Care Coordination is a Medicaid and Badger Care Plus benefit that helps pregnant women get the support and services they need to have a healthy baby.

Websites

• Covering Kids Wisconsin The Covering Kids & Families initiative seeks to enroll eligible, uninsured children and adults in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
• Covering Wisconsin, Their mission is to connect residents with and promote effective use of insurance coverage and other programs that support health. The site includes How to Sheets, Find Local Help, Help Using Health Insurance, tips for applying for Medicare, BadgerCare Plus (Medicaid) and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
• IPV Health. IPV Health cultivates partnerships between health care providers and domestic violence advocates to promote survivor’s health and safety.

• Bed Bugs – Home Visiting
• Home Visitor Safety – 2023– Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
• Safety Best Practices for Home Visitors. Center for Prevention Research and Development, Oct. 2015.
• Meth Watch Program Home Visitor Safety Tips https://secure.in.gov/meth/files/Employees_Home_Visitors_Safety_Tips.pdf
• Personal Safety for Visiting Professionals– (PowerPoint) Indiana Dept. of Children Health Services

Videos and Training Modules

• Home Visitor Safety: Staying Safe and Aware on the Job
• Staying Safe as a Home Visitor Webinar: Presented by Police Department of Manchester, NH
• Home Visiting Safety and Other Practical Matters webinar Presented by New York State Community Action Association
• Preventing Lice and Scabies
• Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Scabies

Wisconsin Community Program, Social Service, and Human Service Agencies – Links are provided to every county health and human services department in the state of Wisconsin

Articles

• Want Happier Kids? Cuddle More, Yahoo Parenting
• Abusive Head Trauma: How to Protect Your Baby, HealthyChildren.Org
• The Difference Between Tantrums and Sensory Meltdowns, Understood
• The Neuroscience of Calming a Baby, Psychology Today
• The scientific evidence against spanking, timeouts, and sleep training, Quartz
• Forbes: Can We Stop A Traumatized Child From Becoming A Traumatized Adult?
• Penn State: Helping parents understand infant sleep patterns
• In the Playroom: Helping Your Child’s Speech and Language
• Desert News – National: How raising kids within routines boosts social and emotional health
• The Atlantic: How Supportive Parenting Protects the Brain
• Strength-based parenting improves children’s resilience and stress levels Medical Press
• Why Don’t We Prepare Men for Fatherhood? Huffington Post

Online Learning Activities

• The Protective Factors Overview learning activity is an introduction for anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of the five Protective Factors. This interactive learning activity provides a synopsis of the five Protective Factors, their relevance and their characteristics, opportunities to practice identifying them and an understanding of how a strengths-based approach is integral to building these Protective Factors.

Videos

• Hospital for Sick Children: Why is it important to Comfort your child? (1:08)
• Love, a low tech solution – Laura Peterson, TEDx Talks (16:40)

Websites

• Parenting Newsletters and Other Parenting Resources from the University of WI Extension, includes audio podcasts and downloadable resources for expecting parents and parents of children in every stage – from infants through teenagers, related to developmental stages, temperament, and useful strategies for parents.
• Head Start: National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagment
• Zero to Three

Subtopics

• Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) presents complex and difficult issues for families, communities and home visiting programs. Research articles about IPV and its effects can be found at the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services’ Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Breastfeeding

• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) offers breastfeeding information and links to breastfeeding promotion and education resources.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides breastfeeding information for families, communities, and health providers, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions, approaches to promotion and support, and recommendations for safe handling of human milk, and links to programs such as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

Crying

Articles

• Five Similarities Between Leadership and Parenting, Forbes Magazine, Brent Gleeson, 2014.
• Effective Leadership and Parenting for Challenging TimesFoster Cline, MD. Happy Heart Families,
• Parenting Styles: the Situational Approach, Penn State Leadership Blog
• Leadership and Parenting: Parallels, Penn State Leadership Blog
• Leadership Begins at Home, Michael McKinney, Leadership Minute: Building a Community of Leaders

Online Learning Activities

• The Role of the Parent Co-Presenter learning activity is designed provide Parent Co-Presenters with an understanding of what is involved in co-facilitating the Bringing the Protective Factors Framework to Life in Your Work training for family serving professionals. The learning activity defines the roles of the Parent Co-Presenter and the Certified Trainer. Video montages, by current Parent Co-Presenters, highlight the benefits of serving in this role and sharing one’s story in an impactful way.

Professional Reading

• From Leadership to Parenthood: The Applicability of Leadership Styles to Parenting Styles, Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2006, Vol. 10, No. 1, 43-56.
• Building Parent Leadership Manual,Georgia Dept. of Education. This manual was created to assist organizations and parent leaders in organizing, planning, and implementing events, activities, and outreach programs to promote parent leadership in schools and communities.

Websites

Webcasts

• The Influence of Fathers on Young Children’s Development Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

Articles

• Stresses of Poverty May Impair Learning Ability in Young Children. U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health
• Children in Poverty: Key Facts About Child Poverty(Jan. 2019) Child Trends.
• Estimating the Economic Cost of Childhood Poverty in the United States, Social Work Research, Vol. 42, Issue 2, June 2018, found on Oxford Academic Social Work Research website.
  

Professional Reading

• American Psychological Association’s journal, Monitor on Psychology, July/Aug. 2015 cover story, Fighting Poverty. New research is finding ways to help people overcome poverty and avoid the mental and physical health problems associated with low socioeconomic status.
• How to Reduce Poverty in the United States, University for Poverty Research, UC Davis, 2015.
• Five Ways to End Poverty in the United States(BorgenProject.Org, 2016). These tips help all of us think about the roles we can take to reduce poverty in our country.
• Poverty and Parenting Young Children: The Role of Parenting in the Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty.(Focus. Vol. 33, No. 2. Spring/Summer 2017. Found on Institute for Research on Poverty, UW-Madison’s website.)

Reports/Statistics

• United States Census Bureau’s Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015. This report presents data on income, earnings, income inequality, and poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2016 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements (CPS ASEC) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
• United States Census Bureau’s Poverty Data, provides poverty data from several household surveys and programs. Here you can find poverty estimates, learn about these surveys and programs, and get guidance on how to choose the right estimate for your needs.
• Wisconsin Poverty Report: Treading Water in 2017: the Eleventh Annual Report of the Wisconsin Poverty Project (2019)is from the Wisconsin Poverty Project, Institute for the Research on Poverty, UW Madison.
• Poverty’s Effect on Infants and Toddlers Infographic(Sept. 2018). Zero to Three.
• WI ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report. United Way of Wisconsin 2016. Despite recent reports of overall improvement in employment and gains in median incomes, the economic recovery in Wisconsin has been uneven. This Report updates the cost of basic needs in the Household Survival Budget for each county in Wisconsin, and the number of households earning below the amount needed to afford that budget (the ALICE Threshold). The Report delves deeper into county and municipal data and looks at the demographics of ALICE and poverty-level households by race/ethnicity, age, and household type to reveal variations in hardship that are often masked by state averages.
• U.S. Census Bureau Libraryfor Income and Poverty data contains static, printable materials.

Resources

• 2Gen Tools to Help Children and Families Thriveis a resource for programs implementing state, federal and local programs serving children and families, published by the Dept. of Education.
• Pediatricians’ Guide to Poverty Resources – Wisconsin
• Federal Poverty Guidelinesdetermine enrollment in state health care and other programs.
• 99 Great Resources Confronting Poverty and Hunger, from MSWOnlinePorgrams.org, resources for social workers.
• National Center for Homeless Education Wisconsin data and information.
• Wisconsin Community Action Association, whose goal is to help low-income individuals and families escape poverty. WISCAP believes in personal and in community responsibility to ensure economic opportunity.
• Wisconsin Homeless Assistance Agencies, U.S. Housing and Urban Development.
• Benefits.gov – Your Path to Government Benefits in Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Fathers for Children and Families: Legal Services for Low-Income Parents– Low Income Legal Resources by regions of the state.
• Financial Literacy Resource Directory provides information on financial literacy resources, issues and events that are important to bankers, organizations, and consumers of all ages. The directory includes descriptions and contact information for a sampling of organizations that have undertaken financial literacy initiatives as a primary mission, government programs, fact sheets, newsletters, conference materials, publications, and links to Web sites. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Dept. of the Treasury
• MyMoney.govcontains information, games and fun facts related to money, saving and planning for youth; curricula, tip sheets, lesson plans, guidance and helpful tools for teaching financial capability for teachers/educators; and a clearinghouse of federally-funded research reports, datasets, and articles on financial capability and related topics for researchers/other professionals.
• The Balance: The Balance Money Website is a great tool for people new to budgeting. “Use this budget calculator to plan for your savings goals and manage your expenses. Fill out all fields that apply to you and make adjustments to see how you could save more.”
• Good Budget: Share this budgeting website and app with families, help them to…“Spend, save, and give toward what’s important in life”

Tools for Professionals

• Your Money, Your Goals Toolkit is a financial empowerment toolkit designed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The toolkit helps organizations understand when and how to introduce to clients’ financial empowerment concepts such as goal- setting, saving for emergencies, managing debts, understanding credit, and choosing safe and affordable financial products. English | Spanish

Websites

• National Human Services Directory(NHSA) is comprised of over 55 of the largest national nonprofit human service organizations. In aggregate, members and their affiliates and local service networks collectively touch, or are touched by, nearly every household in America—as consumers, donors, or volunteers. NHSA staffs four different initiatives through which leaders can work together to improve family stability and well-being.
• 9 Ways to Reduce Poverty,from PBS’s Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of our Nation.

Online Training

• WI Dept. of Health Services’ Perinatal Mental Health: Screening, Referral and Supportive Interventions for Women and Families webinar series includes videos, references, information for clinicians, and handouts for women and their families. Developed by leaders in the fields of psychiatry and women’s health, this series covers a variety of topics related to perinatal mental health.

Professional Readings

• Breastfeeding Protects against Environmental Pollution. (2015). Science Daily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150522083414.htm
• Substance Abuse While Pregnant and Breastfeedinghttps://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/substance-use-while-pregnant-breastfeeding
• Fetal Alcohol ExposureFact Sheet. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/FASDFactsheet/FASD.pdf
• Racial and Ethnic Infant Mortality Gaps and Socioeconomic Status (2014) Institute for Research on Poverty research publication. http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc311f.pdf
• Understanding Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Infant Mortality Rates. Data Brief, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. (2011). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db74.pdf

Websites

• The Periscope Project Website contains work from the Wisconsin project which hosts a consultation line and other resources to support professionals working with new parents, that may be struggling with perinatal mental health and depression. This site provides information on screening guidelines and resources beyond the Perinatal Algorithm training. On the site you will find screening tools, educational modules/ videos and tools on a variety of perinatal mental health topics.
• Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care
  • Promote, coordinate and develop perinatal care in Wisconsin
  • Aid in the development and implementation of programs to improve the health and health care of pregnant women and newborn infants
  • Improve public understanding and awareness of perinatal health care

  Assessment

  Resources

  • Saving Our Babies “The gap in birth outcomes between Black and white women in Dane County and Wisconsin has persisted for decades, while Black mothers and birthing people across the state face consistently higher rates of maternal deaths each year. We are collaborating across sectors to implement community-driven solutions to end this crisis and produce better birth outcomes for Black families.”
  • Nips and Babes “Forging a way for all birthing people to access a new model of comprehensive care: quality doula, lactation, emotional and parenting supports in Dane County.”
  Professional Practices and Skills

  Competencies and Best Practices

  • Challenges and Best Practices for Scaling Home Visiting Programs,New America education policy program, Conor P. Williams, 4/15/14.
    
  • Infant Mental Health Competency Guidelines for Infant Mental Health Endorsement, Providing services that promote healthy social-emotional development during the first years requires a unique knowledge base and skill set. Learn more about the competency guidelines that provide a framework for establishing and recognizing expertise of professionals who work with pregnant women and families with children ages birth to 3 years old.
    
  • Competencies and Best Practices, addHome Visiting: Supporting Parents and Child Development, Zero to Three policy briefs and planning tools.

  Reading Materials

  • Best Practices in Early Childhood Home Visiting, MSW research paper is a qualitative research exploration of the best practices surrounding the specific realm of home visiting, focused on ages three to five, specific to school readiness. Author: Shannon Melody Karsten
  • Tips for Making Home Visits in Child Welfare,The New Social Worker
  • FAN tool developed by Erikson’s Fussy Baby Network becomes a national model

  Tools

  Training

  • Online Tutorials for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants, Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development free modules.

  Websites

  • The National Family Support Network’s Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Supportwere issued by the California Network of Family Strengthening Networks (CNFSN) in 2012, and adopted by the National Family Support Network in 2013. They are the first and only standards in the country to integrate and operationalize the Principles of Family Support Practice with the Strengthening Families Frameworks and its research-based evidence-informed 5 Protective Factors. The vision is that their implementation will help ensure that families are supported and strengthened through quality practice.
  Program Administration
  MIECHV Home Site

  Federally Recognized Evidenced-Based Home Visiting Models

  • Healthy Families America
  • Parents As Teachers
  • Nurse-Family Partnership
  • HIPPY USA
  • Early Headstart
  Program Evaluation
  Professional Reading
  • The 2017 W. K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbookis designed for people with little or no experience with formal evaluation, making evaluation practices accessible to grantees, nonprofits and community leaders.
  • Designing Evaluations, 2012 Revision
    Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office
    Description: “This methodology transfer paper addresses the logic of program evaluation designs. It introduces key issues in planning evaluation studies of federal programs to best meet decision makers’ needs while accounting for the constraints evaluators face. It describes
    different types of evaluations for answering varied questions about program performance, the process of designing evaluation studies, and key issues to consider toward ensuring overall study quality.”
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Data to Solve the World’s Problems, December 2012
    Author: Victor Luckerson
  • National Conference of State Legislatures, Home Visiting: Improving Outcomes for Children (4/26/2018).
  • Using Data to Measure Performance of Home Visitingexplores a new framework for assessing effectiveness of home visiting programs. (2015)

  Tools

  • A Framework for Program Evaluation: A Gateway to Tools provides a synthesis of existing best practices and a set of standards that can be applied in almost any setting. It provides a stable guide to design and conduct a wide range of evaluation efforts in a variety of specific program areas, made available through the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas – Community Toolbox.
  • An Introduction to Evidence-based Programmingis an implementation resource guide for social service programs provided by the Office of Family Assistance, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

  Websites

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Other Evalaution Resources
    Purpose Statement: This page is a list of evaluation resources such as: program evaluation guides/manuals, manuals on specific evaluation steps (e.g., logic models, data collection methods), evaluation-related websites, key professional associations and journals.
  • MDRC, Design Options for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Evaluation (DOHVE) Project Resources
    Purpose Statement: This page is a list of resources for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs (such as WI’s Family Foundations home visiting sites) on issues related to strengthening their evaluations of promising programs, developing and
    adapting data systems to facilitate tracking and reporting on federal benchmarks, and implementing quality improvement systems.
  • American Evaluation Association
    Purpose Statement: The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness. AEA has approximately 7300 members representing all 50 states in the U.S. as well as over 60 foreign countries.
  Research/Frameworks in Home Visiting
  Professional Reading
  • Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness Review, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, April, 2024
  • Visiting Nurses, Helping Mothers on the Margins, New York Times
  • Opening Up Avenues of Success for New Parents, Huffington Post
  • Which families gain most from home visiting?, PeventionAction.Org
  • Policy solutions that work for low-income people, CLASP
  • Home Visiting Programs: An Early Test for the 114th Congress, Brookings
  • Police chiefs call on Congress to fund home visits for at-risk mothers, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • EDUCATION: Home visits promote early learning, The Press-Enterprise
  • Home Visiting Family Support Programs: Benefits of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.
  • Home Visiting: A Service Strategy to Reduce Poverty and Mitigate Its Consequences, in the Academic Pediatrics Journal. (2016)
  • County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, features the expected beneficial outcomes, other potential beneficial outcomes, evidence of effectiveness, implementation examples and resources.

  Journals that often carry Home Visiting research articles:

  • Children and Youth Services Review
  • Prevention Science
  • Pediatrics

  Webinars

  • Tribal Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness Review: Process and Results, USDHS, February 28, 2011

  Websites

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness
  • Pew Charitable Trust, Center on the States, home Visiting Campaign, Research
  • Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project
  • Nurse Family Partnership – “Proven Results” (includes links to internal and external research)
  • Darkness to Light
  • Zero to Three
  • National Home Visiting Resource Centerprovides comprehensive information about early childhood home visiting. Its goal is to support sound decisions in policy and practice to help children and families thrive.
  • Sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) offers a thorough and transparent review of the home visiting research literature and assess evidence of effectiveness for home visiting programs that serve families with pregnant women and children from birth to age 5.
  • HRSAMaternal & Child Health The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program gives pregnant women and families, particularly those considered at-risk, necessary resources and skills to raise children who are physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready to learn. Learn more about home visiting, evidence-based models, current grantees, research and development platform, outcomes measures and download the 2017 Home Visiting Infographic related to MIECHV funded programs.https://mchb.hrsa.gov/maternal-child-health-initiatives/home-visiting-overview
  • Nurse Family Partnership: Helping First-Time Parents Succeed. Learn about this evidence-based nursing model of home visiting on their website.
  • Head Start Learning Outcomes Frameworkresents five broad areas of early learning, referred to as central domains. The framework is designed to show the continuum of learning for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. It is grounded in comprehensive research around what young children should know and be able to do during their early years. Explore this framework through interactive software.
  • Head Start’s Framework for Effective Practice uses the model of a house to represent five integral elements of quality teaching and learning for children ages birth to 5.
  • Tribal Evaluation Institute’smission is to help Tribal Home Visiting Program grantees build capacity in gathering, using and sharing information to improve the health and well-being of children and families. The website makes the TEI technical assistance resources available to a broader audience of tribal program staff, community members and professionals who partner with tribal communities.
  • Family Spirit Home Visiting Programis a unique, evidence-based home-visiting model with a reputation for success: dependability with flexibility. It addresses intergenerational behavioral health problems, applies local cultural assets, and overcomes deficits in the professional healthcare workforce in low-resource communities. It is the only evidence-based home-visiting program ever designed for, by, and with American Indian families.

  Videos

  • Adverse Childhood Experience’s (ACE’s) Study Video Summary
  • Example of home visiting/coaching
  
  Articles
  • The Power of Good Habits – Using High-Performance Habits to Achieve Significant Goals, Mind Tools
  • How to Transform Stress into Courage and Connection, Greater Good – the Science of a Meaningful Life
  • Stress Diaries – Identifying Causes of Short-Term Stress, Mind Tools
  • Doing More Than One Job – How to Juggle Multiple Roles at Work, Mind Tools
  • Minimizing Distractions – Managing Your Work Environment, Mind Tools
  • Secondary Traumatic Stress: A Fact Sheet for Child-Serving Professionals, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

  Videos

  • The Importance of Mindfulness, PsychAlive (2:41)
  • What is self-care and why is it important?, Anna Freud NCCF (2:55)