Birth to Three Blog

    The Office of Early Childhood, Behavioral Health Initiatives webinar on October 31st

    October 17, 2023

    Please join the Office of Early Childhood, Behavioral Health Initiatives’ upcoming webinar:  A Place to Call Home:  Addressing Housing Instability- Supporting Young Children and Families in Connecticut.  The webinar will focus on addressing housing instability to support families in Connecticut and will offer perspectives from the State Department of Education, Department of Housing, and the OEC.  Learn more about the impact housing instability has at both a national and state level, and be connected to resources and supports to better serve CT’s children and their families experiencing housing instability.  The session will include:   Opening remarks from Barbara Duffield, Executive Director at … Continue reading


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    Draft FFY2024 Part C Allocation Application

    March 4, 2024

    Each year Connecticut submits an application to the US Department of Education (ED) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for about $4.5M in funding to support the administration of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Part C). Here is a link to the draft FFY24 Part C Application. Written comments on the draft application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Comments should be sent to the attention of Nicole Cossette, by mail at the Office of Early Childhood, 450 Columbus Boulevard Suite #205, Hartford, CT, 06103-1835; by Fax 860-622-2789 or by … Continue reading


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    Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Children With Disabilities Under the IDEA

    February 20, 2024

    New guidance on Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Children With Disabilities Under the IDEA helps increase understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s (IDEA’s) requirements for assistive technology (AT) devices and services. These resources from the Office of Educational Technology (OET) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) also dispel common AT misconceptions and provide examples of how to use AT devices and services for children with disabilities. Providing children with disabilities with the tools needed to succeed can help break down barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable educational system for all. Source: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/at-guidance/


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    2022 SPP/APR Submission is Now Online!

    January 30, 2024

    This is a link to the Final Submission of the combined State Performance Plan / Annual Performance Report along with the State Systemic Improvement Plan.    It is a very long document, best viewed online.  As usual, Connecticut continues to do very well on both the compliance and results indicators. The APR is due to the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs by February 1, 2024.  For more information about the SPP, click here.  If you have any questions or comments please email amanda.kach@ct.gov.


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    FFY 2022 SPP/APR DRAFT is available for review

    December 21, 2023

    This is a link to the DRAFT Submission of the combined State Performance Plan / Annual Performance Report along with the State Systemic Improvement Plan.    It is a very long document, best viewed online.  The APR is due to the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs by February 1, 2024.  For more information about the SPP, click here.  If you have any questions or comments please email amanda.kach@ct.gov.


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    Safety in Home Visiting Presentation

    November 9, 2023

    Northwest Cares will be hosting an educational program focusing on “Healthcare Safety in the Home” on December 6, 2023, at 8:30 -10:00am.  The presentation is approximately 60 minutes followed up with 30 minutes of Q&A, if needed. Please email Paul.Rabeuf@hhchealth.org with any questions. Use the QR code in flyer below to register.


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    Children with Disabilities: Know your Rights and Responsibilities under Federal Law

    October 16, 2023

    Event Date: November 2, 2023 at 12pm AND 6pm A virtual presentation and discussion hosted by the Education Working Group about the civil rights of children with disabilities. This year’s focus topic is children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but the group works to help children and parents with all disabilities. This presentation is designed for the parents, caregivers, and guardians of children with disabilities as well as directors and staff who work at child care organizations and camps. Click here to see the flyer for the event. Register here.


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    Somos Latinx Families: A Family to Family Real Talk Conversation

    July 31, 2023

    SAVE THE DATES: Every other Monday, beginning October 2 through November 27, 2023, 3-4:30pm (ET) This free, 5-episode virtual conversation series offers a safe and welcoming space to hold conversations for, by, and with Latinx families. Explore what it means to be a parent as part of the Latinx community, raising Latinx children while navigating U.S. mainstream cultures, and connecting Latinx cultural identities to physical and mental well-being. Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support. The series begins on Monday, October 2, 2023, and will be held every other Monday, from 3 to 4:30 PM ET / … Continue reading


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    Family to Family Real Talk Series: Parenting while Rising to Child Development Challenges

    July 31, 2023

    SAVE THE DATES: September 25, October 23, November 6, December 4, and December 18, 2023. All are welcome to join and engage in these powerful conversations. This free, 5 episode virtual conversation series offers a warm and inviting opportunity to connect with other parents and families of children with differences in or challenges to their development. Through a series of conversations with parents of children with developmental differences, challenges, or disabilities, we will explore the unique as well as common experiences of loving and raising children whose developmental process and journey is delayed or atypical. We will discuss the challenges and joys … Continue reading


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    Positive Parenting Tips

    July 19, 2023

    The Centers for Disease Control has resources listed on their website organized by age, from infants to teenagers, for parents and providers to learn more about early childhood development, positive parenting, safety, and health. Find the resources here.


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    Fun Summer Learning Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children

    July 19, 2023

    Looking for Fun Summer Learning Activities? Consider Brain-Building Through Play Activities Three core principles of child development include fostering responsive relationships, strengthening core life skills, and reducing sources of stress. Play is an effective way of supporting all three. With support from the LEGO Foundation, the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has created a series of handouts with playful, age-appropriate activities for children, from newborns to adolescents, that are easy to do at home or just about anywhere! Check out the handouts here. Want to learn more about the importance of play in learning and development? Check … Continue reading


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    The Sparkler “Once Upon a Time”  summer learning program (Birth – 5 years old) launched for CT families on July 3rd.  

    July 6, 2023

    Please encourage all families to join us for weekly folktale told by a storyteller from the culture where the story originated including learning activities! We hope parents/caregivers with young children can have some fun while learning over the summer (see the Camp 2023 Schedule down below). Please click the links below to access the first story, family and or provider facing websites, and the provider kit.   Week 1: The first story is about the First Fire: A Cherokee Legend https://playsparkler.org/once-upon-a-time/ Here’s the family-facing website: https://playsparkler.org/campsparkler23/. Here’s the provider-facing website: https://playsparkler.org/campsparklerproviderkit23/ Provider kits in English, Spanish, and Chinese! https://playsparkler.org/campsparklerproviderkit23/ Camp 2023 Schedule … Continue reading


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    Family Resources from Sesame Workshop

    June 7, 2023

    Sesame Workshop has launched a new website packed with free content (e.g., resources, research, videos). New search tools and navigation features allow users to discover and share resources more easily than ever before. Explore by topic, resource type, and even favorite characters. Some resources are organized by Sesame Workshops “impact areas” – emotional well-being, foundational knowledge and skills, creativity and playful problem solving, and self-identity and belonging. Pull-down menus from the Family Resources tab subheadings offer topical resources ranging from ABCs and 123s to tough topics like homelessness and traumatic experiences. There’s also a new school readiness section to help … Continue reading


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    Leadership Academy Cohort 3 Recruitment!

    April 28, 2023

    Please see the attached notification from Dr. Mary Beth Bruder and Darla Gundler referencing the recruitment for the Leadership Academy Cohort 3!There will be a webinar on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 from 4:30-6:30. 


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    The Four Pillars of Infant Mental Health and associated links to more IMH information

    April 5, 2023

    Four Pillars of Infant Mental Health is a one page handout on an Introduction to Infant Mental Health for Medical Professionals. Please feel free to share widely.


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    NERGN Educational Opportunity

    March 21, 2023

    “The New England Regional Genetics Network (NERGN) advances the health and well-being of individuals with genetic conditions by connecting them with genetic services, educating professionals to improve systems of genetic care, and supporting families in New England. NERGN is offering FREE training for early intervention specialists to help them address questions of genetics in their profession. See flyer attached for more information and contact email.” Flyer Located HERE


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    DRAFT FFY23 Part C Application

    March 16, 2023

    Each year Connecticut submits an application to the US Department of Education (ED) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for about $5M in funding to support the administration of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Part C). Here is a link to the draft FFY23 Part C Application. Written comment on the draft application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2023. Comments should be sent to the attention of Nicole Cossette, by mail at the Office of Early Childhood, 450 Columbus Boulevard Suite #205, Hartford, CT, 06103-1835; by Fax 860-622-2789 or by … Continue reading


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    Riverside PD Opportunities

    March 14, 2023

    Read more about these opportunities here!


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    Birth to Three Sleep Survey

    February 24, 2023

    If you are a provider in the early intervention system, please consider filling out this survey developed by one of our Leadership Academy Participants: https://forms.gle/jadw4mNyBTSKcAsD8 This survey is being used to collect information related to the prevalence of sleep concerns with the families we serve and how we, as Birth to Three Providers, are able to identify and support these concerns. This 10 question survey should only take 1-2 minutes to complete. Thank you for taking the time to provide me with this valuable information.


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    Activities for Bonding with Young Children

    February 15, 2023

    Try these fun games and activities with children and watch how their eagerness to learn and their relationship with their caregivers grow! Resource from Zero to Three.


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