Author: uwcadmin
HMG Networking Breakfast schedule
February 25, 2016
The Office of Early Childhood Family Support Services Division is pleased to share the 2016 calendar of Help Me Grow Networking Breakfasts. Help Me Grow program staff regularly host community networking breakfasts that bring together service providers to identify gaps and barriers in service, share information, learn about new initiatives and develop solutions to challenging family issues. Join a breakfast near you!
Keep Reading
CT. DEC Open Meeting Discussing the New DEC Recommended Practices
February 18, 2016
CT DEC is excited to announce the upcoming event that is open to all interested members of the ECE community. ece 2016 Special Educators with a Purpose : Keynote speaker, Mary Beth Bruder from UCONN Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. “Building our Capacity for Evidence Based Practice: Our Responsibility to Those We Teach” and Discussion of the new DEC Recommended Practices. All attendees will receive a copy of the DEC Recommended Practice. March 22nd, 6-9 p.m. in the Community Room, Goodwin College. Please RSVP to ctdecearlychildhood@gmail.com
Keep Reading
Together We Will – Stipends For Parents
February 18, 2016
The 23 rd Annual Together We Will Conference on April 6, 2016 is offering stipends to parents who would like to attend. Please use the following forms to request a stipend: 2016 TWW Family – eng 2016 TWW Family – span Find more information on the conference on www.birth23.org/calendar.
Keep Reading
New DEC Recommended Practices Videos
February 11, 2016
A new video about the DEC Recommended Practices was recently posted here dec-sped.org/rpvideos. Mary McLean, the chair of the DEC Recommended Practices Commission, offers an overview of the 2014 Recommended Practices in the top video and if you scroll down you’ll see another short video about, “Evidence Syntheses of the DEC Recommended Practices.”
Keep Reading
When It Comes to Language Development Not All Toys Are Created Equal!
February 9, 2016
A new study looks at the role of toys ( electronic “learning” toys vs. traditional toys vs. books) in promoting language development. The results were significant – traditional toys and books supported language development and high quality parent-child communication more than electronic toys.
Keep Reading
EASTCONN Hosting 3rd Annual Infant/Toddler Conference: Let’s Talk
February 9, 2016
This Conference on March 11th, will place an emphasis on development of language skills for children 0-3, including supporting language with quality children’s books. Supporting Dual Language Learners will be an integral component to this professional learning, as well as supporting children to understand language and use language for social interaction. See Birth to Three Calendar for more information.
Keep Reading
Lead Exposure in Young Children
February 8, 2016
Parents who are worried about lead poisoning may contact their child’s medical provider to request evaluation for lead exposure with a blood test. Infants and toddlers in Connecticut are screened for lead exposure and parents of children with a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) or greater receive information about: identifying and eliminating sources of lead dietary approaches to reducing lead in their children’s bodies typical developmental milestones, so they may identify a delay as soon as possible how to refer their child for a Birth to Three developmental evaluation You can’t see, smell, or taste lead in water. … Continue reading
Keep Reading
CPAC Family Connections Mentor Program
February 8, 2016
Family Connections is a statewide program that helps connect parents who have infants and toddlers involved in the CT Birth to Three System with experienced parent mentors who also have children with special needs and have been through Birth to Three. The CT Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) is recruiting new volunteers for this valuable mentoring program. Please share this opportunity with parents who may be interested! More information Application for Interested Parents
Keep Reading
AAP Releases Updated Immunization Schedule
February 8, 2016
Immunizations prevent illnesses with potentially devastating health and developmental consequences. An updated 2016 schedule was recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The updated schedule was also approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The “Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0 through 18 Years,” changes the order of the vaccines to group them by the recommended age of administration, adds three recently licensed vaccines, and includes footnotes and a catch-up schedule. Please discuss the 2016 schedule with your families and help ensure they … Continue reading
Keep Reading
Have you joined your colleagues at Birth to Three’s Natural Learning Environment training yet?
February 5, 2016
The Provider Support Team has been busy offering trainings around the state on “Going Deeper Into Natural Learning Environment Practices”. The trainings have been filling so fast that we will be adding two additional trainings in March and April. Be on the lookout for postings on the Birth to Three Calendar!
Keep Reading
Connecticut Launches Safe Sleep Campaign Promoting Safe Sleep Environments for Infants
February 5, 2016
In April 2014, the Office of the Child Advocate issued data from 2001-2013 reporting that the number of Connecticut infants who died where unsafe sleep conditions were present was almost three times the number of infants who died of child abuse. The public health alert also stated that infants in Connecticut are more likely to die from unsafe sleeping conditions than from child abuse, car accidents, choking, drowning, falls, or any other form of accidental injury. The statewide campaign will distribute information to parents of newborns discharged from the hospital through a variety of means including door hangers, posters, booklets … Continue reading
Keep Reading
Autism webinar Jan 27 – Dr. Fred Volkmar
January 11, 2016
The Center for Children’s Advocacy is hosting a webinar entitled, Autism: Research, Diagnosis and Intervention Panelists include: Dr. Fred Volkmar, Yale Child Study Center; Dr. Ada Fenick, Yale-New Haven Hospital; Attorney Jay Sicklick, Center for Children’s Advocacy; Sarah Reid, Parent; Connecticut Dept. of Developmental Services / Behavioral Health Partnership Dr. Volkmar is primary author of the American Psychiatric Association DSM-IV autism and pervasive developmental disorders section. He has authored hundreds of papers and books including: A Practical Guide to Autism (Wiley Press) Asperger’s Syndrome (Guilford Press) Health Care for Children on Autism Spectrum (Woodbine) Handbook of Autism (Wiley Publishing) For more information,visit: … Continue reading
Keep Reading
FY15 Birth to Three System data report available online
December 28, 2015
The Connecticut Birth to Three System and State Interagency Coordinating Council report to the Governor each year on activities that support families of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. We are pleased to share the latest report, posted here Birth23.org/aboutb23/annualdata/. Meet the Daly Family and hear from their service coordinator and Finn’s pediatrician, compare town-by-town referral data, and learn how our almost 1,200 service providers partner with families in a dynamic and individualized process that enhances learning and development during everyday activities. Prior years’ reports are also available on the same web page. To get to the Annual Data Reports page on Birth23.org click the … Continue reading
Keep Reading
Natural Learning Environments Training: January 12th
December 11, 2015
As many of you know the Natural Learning Environments trainings have been filling up as soon as we put them on the calendar. That’s great! We do still have some room in the NLE training on January 12th ( snow date January 26th) at Education Connections in Litchfield. Don’t worry about the snow….it’s a beautiful drive any time of the year!! See you there. www.birth23.org/calendar
Keep Reading
Translation & Interpretation Services
December 10, 2015
Looking for translation of a family’s IFSP into Farsi? The State of Connecticut Contract # 14PSX0152 lists twenty vendors who can provide document translation and/or face-to-face interpretation. Anyone may contact these agencies to purchase their services. If your agency receives 60% or more of your funding from a combination of state and federal sources, you may purchase their services at the contracted rates (which are often lower than those offered to the public). Agencies differ in their rates per language, and in the languages they can provide. Go to http://www.biznet.ct.gov/SCP_Search/ContractDetail.aspx?ID=15293 to see how these vendors may support your effective communications … Continue reading
Keep Reading
Five New Videos from Iowa via Florida
December 7, 2015
When other states develop and share resources, we like to pass them along in case you aren’t part of one of the many email lists out there. We all know that coaching isn’t a “model” which means there isn’t yet a strong theoretical foundation and a body of empirical research that supports the practices. Many states refer to it as coaching methods or coaching strategies or coaching practices so when you watch the first video and the interventionist uses “model” just know that she knows it’s not a model yet. (“It’s a model in development!” – Juliann Woods) Larry Edelman developed these videos … Continue reading
Keep Reading
Kids Mental Health info now available in Spanish
November 30, 2015
Looking for answers to questions and concerns about a young child’s behavior or mental health? Now you can find them in English and Spanish. Topics include: Information for Parents and Caregivers Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Child Trauma Early Care and Education Providers School-Based Mental Health To request English/Spanish postcards about this website for your staff and/or parents, please contact Abby Alter, at Aalter@uchc.edu
Keep Reading
Resources for Sensory Friendly Clothing
November 19, 2015
Finding clothing for someone with a sensory processing disorder can be a challenge. There are a lot of factors that can cause discomfort: itchy tags, harsh materials, and exposed elastic bands are just a few. Here are 18 stores dedicated to providing a comfortable and stylish wardrobe for children and adults with special needs.
Keep Reading
DEC 2016 Conference: Call for Proposals
November 19, 2015
Proposal submissions are now being accepted for the Division for Early Childhood’s 32nd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and their Families taking place October 18 – 20, 2016 in Louisville, KY. The deadline for submissions is January 19, 2016. More Information.
Keep Reading
2016 Partners in Policymaking – call for applications
November 18, 2015
The CT Council on Developmental Disabilities is offering enrollment in the 2016 Partners in Policymaking – a self-advocacy leadership training program for parents and individuals with disabilities The goal of Partners in Policymaking is to foster a collaboration among people with disabilities, parents who have children with disabilities, and policy makers at national, state and local levels, and consists of seven weekend training sessions with nationally recognized speakers and state experts on disability issues. For more information, contact: Molly.cole@ct.gov ph. 860-418-6157 or Donna Devin ph. 860-418-8737
Keep Reading