California MAP
California MAP
Working Together

Cultural Competency and Resources in Multiple Languages

In response to requests from the field for resources to support culturally competent work with children and families as well as easy access to resources in multiple languages, additional web resources have been identified and collected below.

The following links may be of interest as you search the world wide web for information on inclusive child care and other related topics. Many of the sites listed below are good starting points for additional links. The descriptions come from the sites themselves and are not offered with any official Map to Inclusive Child Care or WestEd endorsement.

In the News!

In the News!
  • California schools prepare for thousands of Afghan refugee students edsource.org | September 2021
  • Fact Sheet: Who are Dual Language Learners? Early Edge | August 2018 Dual Language Learners (DLL) are children, birth to age 5, who are learning two (or more) languages at the same time, or are learning a second language while continuing to develop their first (or home) language (U. S. Office of Head Start). This fact sheet describes the characteristics of dual language learners in California. Links to additional resources are also available here.
  • Multi-Lingual Learning Tool Kit October 2021 The Multilingual Learning Toolkit, an online hub of research-based key principles, instructional practices, and accompanying resources, is the result of a collaborative effort between practitioners, experts, and researchers. The key audience for this work is teachers who work with Multilingual Learner children in PreK-3rd Grade as well as program administrators and higher education faculty members.
  • Designing the TK World: Ensuring Equity for Dual Language Learners (DLLs) October 2021 Please join us for a 3-part webinar series focused on supporting and affirming the needs and assets of preschool-aged Dual Language Learners, who represent a large and growing population of young children in California. This series, intended for teachers and administrators, will provide participants with practical strategies and takeaways to apply to their own contexts. The series will also feature expert practitioners from the field, who will share their experiences and key resources.

Cultural Competency

22 Diverse Book Choices for All Grade Levels
Published: Feb 2019 From Edutopia, here are suggestions from teachers who are working to offer students at every grade level book choices that represent their lives.
Apple Seed Network: Protecting Assets and Child Custody in the Face of Deportation 2017 Manual
This one-of-a-kind resource is designed for immigrants and those who work with them; the host of attorneys, nurses, social workers, religious workers who are stepping up in challenging times. Appleseed’s Manual will help families develop plans in advance to deal with critical financial and family issues in the event of deportation, arrest and other family emergencies. The 2012 version of the manual is available in Spanish along with videos in Spanish.
Bridging Diversity Toolkit from ConnectAbility Canada
This online resource was created to help you gain a deeper understanding of Equity and Diversity in order to promote Inclusion where you work, live and play. The videos, discussion guides, activities and suggested resources can all be used in a variety of ways to facilitate brave conversations about what makes us different, and how we can create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
California Department of Education
The home page for the California Department of Education, Special Education Division, links to current information about services and programs provided by the department.
Child Care and Early Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Families: Research to Practice Resources (PDF)
The early care and education (ECE) system serves a diverse range of families from many different backgrounds, structures, and capacities. There are varying estimates, but between 2 and 4 percent of American adults identify as LGBT, and this percentage has grown over the past five years. In recognition that working with this growing population presents special considerations for providers, the National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families early childhood training and technical assistance system, produced a resource series to help ECE programs build strong relationships with LGBT parents and families.
Child Trends: Hispanic Institute
Child Trends Hispanic Institute provides timely and insightful research-based information and guidance to improve outcomes for Latino children. A fast-growing and diverse segment of the U.S. population, Latino’s now represent 16 percent of our nation’s population and 25 percent of children. We provide policymakers, practitioners, the media, corporate leaders, and private philanthropy with knowledge about Latino children, youth and families in the U.S. to help inform decision making. We do this by providing statistical portraits of Hispanic children and youth, expanding the evidence base  by developing and conducting evaluations of programs aimed at Latinos, and building the data infrastructure on Hispanic children and youth. Site includes a wealth of publication on various topics around Hispanic children.
CLASP’s Child Care and Early Education
CLASP's Child Care and Early Education work is dedicated to promoting policies that support both child development and the needs of low-income working parents. CLASP conducts policy analysis, research, and technical assistance to expand access to and resources for highquality, comprehensive child care and early education; build effective child care and early education systems including child care, Head, pre- and other early education initiatives; and ensure these systems can be responsive to the developmental needs of all children, in particular infants and and children in immigrant families. CLASP’s child care and early education work highlights state-by-state data where available.
Creating Welcoming Early Childhood Programs for LGBTQ Headed Families
Head Start ECLKC | November 2020Explore this collection of resources to learn ways to enhance relationships with parents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). Directors, teachers, providers, and parents will find information and strategies to create an early childhood setting that is welcoming and inclusive, build staff professionalism, and engage all families in your program. Resources include a Checklist for Programs to help programs identify what they are doing well and areas for growth.
Family Partnerships and Culture (PDF)
Published: 2016 | Size: 9MB This California Department of Education publication aims to assist early childhood professionals in the development of cultural competence in working with children and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Specifically, the aims of the publication are to help programs to value families and their contribution to children’s learning; approach cultural diversity with an open mind; apply knowledge gained about families, including their values and beliefs, to teaching and learning.
Family Promise
Our mission is to help homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response. Family Promise is a holistic approach to the crisis of family homelessness. Our programs address the range of issues that affect low-income families. These include direct services, educational curricula, prevention programs and more. Affiliates are located in cities throughout the United States.
Fiesta Educativa, Inc.
Fiesta Educativa was founded in California in 1978 to inform and assist Latino families in obtaining services and in caring for their children with special needs. Fiesta Educativa was formed by family members and professionals who recognized the need to provide assistance and advocacy to these Spanish-speaking families.
Head Start ECLKC: Exploring Joan Talks – A Resource Guide for Training and Technical Assistance Providers
This resource guide helps regional TA specialists and other professional development providers use Joan Talks about the Big 5 to help Head Start and child care programs implement a planned language approach (PLA). This does not replace the Joan Talks about the Big 5 series of documents; instead, it is a supplement to support implementation of the Big 5 with ideas for using the series in professional development, coaching, and peer learning communities or group socializations. Resources in Joan Talks guide readers through Joan’s experience. Joan is a kindergartener who tells us about the language and literacy skills she has learned since birth. Through the series, staff can hear from a child’s perspective. Joan is a dual language learner who is gaining confidence and knowledge in the Big 5:
Head Start ECLKC: Multi-cultural Principles for Early Childhood Leaders
Head Start ECLKC | February 2024

The 2023 edition of Multicultural Principles for Early Childhood Leaders builds on growing research about how race, ethnicity, ability, gender, and socio-economic status influence young children’s learning. These influences can impact the practices, policies, and systems of early learning programs and the parent-child relationship.

In the 15 years since the last publication, research literature in child development, equity, and inclusion has grown significantly. This edition builds on the time-tested strength of the original principles, updating the language and organizational structure to support and use the principles in daily practice.

An equity-focused mindset and culturally sustaining practices are integrated throughout the Multicultural Principles. An equity-focused mindset includes both an awareness of the historical and current injustices, discrimination, and barriers faced by disproportionately marginalized communities. It also requires a commitment to respond in ways that disrupt these inequities.

Find out about the three action categories: Explore, Nurture, and Grow. These three actions describe what Head Start leaders and staff can do to ensure program services embrace and use the principles in everyday practice. The actions encourage:

  • Learning from and about one another
  • Building understanding and appreciation of the culture, traditions, and values of others
  • Supporting inclusive and equitable practice
Head Start ECLKC: Resources to Support Families Experiencing Homelessness
More than 1 million children under 6 years old in the U.S. experience homelessness every year. The top causes of homelessness among families are a lack of affordable housing, unemployment, poverty, and low wages, according to recent data from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Check out two new resources to help Head Start staff and other early care and education (ECE) providers support these vulnerable children and families. Use them to enhance your knowledge around family homelessness and review relevant federal regulations for Head Start, Early Head Start, and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)-subsidized programs.
  • Caring for the Health and Wellness of Children Experiencing Homelessness: Discover common health and wellness issues among children experiencing homelessness. Find tips for working with families to make sure health and wellness remains a priority. This tip sheet can also help Head Start health managers, Head Start Advisory Committees, ECE providers, and child care health consultants.
  • Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness: These interactive learning modules offer knowledge and skill-building opportunities about child and family homelessness. Review the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act's definition of "homeless" as it refers to children and youth. Find out how to apply it in the context of different federally-funded early childhood programs at the state and local levels. Learn how to conduct community outreach and identify, prioritize, and enroll families experiencing homelessness. These modules are intended for professionals in Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care. This includes early childhood and school-age child care providers, CCDF Lead Agency or designated entity staff, and other key stakeholders.
High Quality Infant and Toddler Care: Supporting Children’s and Families’ Diverse Languages (Video)
Length: 11:53 mins
  • In order for optimal development to take place during these critical first 3 years of life and beyond, educators of young children need to meet children where they are and foster their continued learning and development. This means caring for them in ways that respect the children’s and families’ diverse cultures, languages, lifestyles, preferences, abilities, learning styles, and needs. The Magical Years Early Childhood Center in Sunset Park – a socioeconomically and culturally/linguistically diverse neighborhood in southwest Brooklyn NY – exemplifies practices and policies that do this.
  • Use these guiding questions to help facilitate discussion around this video.
Honoring Family Culture in Early Intervention
DRACCESS | February 2022

“This two-part video series describes and illustrates how Amigo Baby, an early intervention program in Ventura, California, provides virtual home visiting services that are culturally and linguistically sensitive and responsive to Latinx families, including both Spanish-speaking and migrant indigenous families who speak Mixteco. The videos include insightful interviews with the program director, an early interventionist, an occupational therapist, and parents along with illustrative recordings of virtual home visits.”

“Part 1: Isai and Eliel's Story, 13:31 describes strategies for being responsive to families’ language and culture; the use of culturally appropriate communicators; working with all family members; using a team approach; being flexible and following the family’s lead; and the use of a coaching approach.” Download Video

Reflective Questions to Accompany the "Honoring Family Culture in Early Intervention" Videos Honoring Family Culture in Early Intervention - Part 2: Max's Story

Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDF)
Founded in 1968 MALDF is the nations leading non-profit Latino legal organization. MALDF promotes equality and justice through advocacy, litigation, public policy, and education in the areas of employment, immigrants’ rights, political access, voting rights and language rights.
NAEYC: Advancing Equity Initiative
Creating equitable learning opportunities for young children is at the core of NAEYC’s mission. These opportunities help children thrive by recognizing and building on each child’s unique set of individual and family strengths, cultural background, home language, abilities, and experiences. Our profession, however, cannot achieve this mission unless we face head-on the longstanding inequities that prevail in our field. Learn about recent NAEYC initiatives, including the Position Statement on Advancing Equity and the summary of the 2018 Leading and Working toward Equity Leadership Summit. This website holds various articles on ways that equity can be supported in early childhood settings.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation’s largest organization of early childhood professionals and others dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education programs for children birth through age eight. NAEYC’s primary goals are to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education and to build public understanding and support for high-quality early childhood programs.
National Associaton for Multicultural Education (NAME)
The National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) was founded in 1990 to bring together individuals from all academic levels and disciplines and from diverse educational institutions, and other organizations, occupations and communities who had an interest in multicultural education. NAME is committed to a philosophy of inclusion that embraces the basic tenets of democracy and cultural pluralism.
National Black Child Development Institute Inc. (NBCDI)
To give our future the chance it deserves, NBCDI advances a multi-faceted agenda to promote and protect the well-being of all African American children. NBCDI's wide range of programs respond to the necessity to replace the one-size fits-all, deficit-oriented paradigm with initiatives that serve children based on their strengths and needs. Our programs assist children and families who are experiencing challenges in the areas of early care and education, health, parenting, education, and child welfare. NBCDI's affiliate chapters composed of volunteers are not only reaching out to African American children; they're connecting with them in ways that make a difference. NBCDI also serves as a resource to people who are professionally and personally committed to children and families.
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt)
The United States is fortunate to have a diverse population, but in the 23 decades since its establishment, the US has faced many challenges to its democratic ideals. Chief among these has been responding equitably to the ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious differences that characterize its people. Schools continue to reflect this struggle even today. NCCRESt works with state and local systems to address ingrained school practices that contribute to perpetuating disparities in access to learning. We provide technical assistance and professional development to schools and their communities, including resources for early intervention, universal screening, progress monitoring, and culturally-responsive response to intervention.
National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) works to address the issues of child abuse and neglect through training, research, public policy, and grassroots community development. NICWA also works to support compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), which seeks to keep American Indian children with American Indian families. NICWA improves the lives of American Indian children and families by helping tribes and other service providers implement services that are culturally competent, community-based, and focused on the strengths and assets of families. This work includes collaborating with tribal and urban Indian child welfare programs to increase their service capacity, enhancing tribal-state relationships, and providing training, technical assistance, information services and alliance building.
National Indian Parent Information Center
The National Indian Parent Information Center is a national program that provides information (printed, by email, phone and workshops) on disability issues for Native family members who have children with disabilities and the professional who work with them. We provide workshops on and off reservations to Tribes, Nations and Clans on Disability Laws and Parent Leadership. Our services for families are at no cost to family members. We hope to give Indian families a voice that will impact the special education process.
National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families
The National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families (Center) is a hub of research to improve the lives of Hispanics across three areas. Each of these areas informs the other, as the experiences of Hispanic children and families cannot be understood without discussing the interconnectedness of family economics, family structure, and early child care and education.
  • One Quarter of Hispanic Children in the United States Have an Unauthorized Immigrant Parent (PDF) Approximately 1 in 4 U.S. Latino children have a parent who is an unauthorized immigrant, a finding that is striking in its consistency across data sources and methods. This means that there are more than 4 million Latino children in the United States who are at risk of experiencing parental separation and the stress and fear associated with their family’s uncertain legal status. As our nation continues the important discourse about how to move forward on immigration policy, it is critical that we acknowledge the extent to which Latino children are disproportionately affected by these policies, and the potential impact of various policy alternatives on their short- and long-term well-being. This will matter not only for Latino children’s well-being, but also for the social and economic well-being of our nation.
  • A Portrait of Latino Fathers: Strengths and Challenges (PDF)
Native American Parent Technical Assistance Center (NAPTAC)
NAPTAC is a project within EPICS to provide training and technical assistance to Parent Training Information Centers (PTI's) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC's) nationwide on providing effective, culturally responsive services to Native American families of children with disabilities, as well as youth with disabilities.
Newcomers Tool Kit
The Newcomer Tool Kit is designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students—including asylees and refugees—and their families. The Newcomer Tool Kit has 5 chapters, and contains an overview, sample tools, and resources.
Practitioner Brief: Culturally Responsive Practices to Collaborate with Families
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI)This brief from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations uses a vignette featuring a child  who has autism spectrum disorder and whose family is from Vietnam to demonstrate effective strategies for collaborating with families from other cultures.
Resource Guide: Building a Bright Future for All (PDF)
Published: January 2017 The guide was developed to enhance State and local efforts to support immigrant children from birth through the elementary grades. The first half provides tips for educators in early learning programs and elementary schools as well as schools, districts, and States to: (1) facilitate school enrollment by immigrant families; (2) promote healthy child development in the school setting; (3) encourage caregiver engagement in their children's education; and (4) build staff knowledge about immigrant children and their educational needs. The second half provides tips for parents and guardians on how to facilitate children's learning and education starting at birth.
Self Assessment Tool for Early Childhood Programs Serving the Homeless (PDF)
This Self-Assessment Tool for Early Childhood Programs Serving Families Experiencing Homelessness has been specifically designed for child care, Head Start and Early Head Start, and public pre-k programs as a guide for welcoming and supporting families and children experiencing homelessness into these programs. We know that ending family homelessness will require us to implement whole-of-community strategies to ensure that every member of each family experiencing homelessness is offered the services and the supports they need to thrive. Early care and education providers play a critical role in identifying and supporting families with young children who are experiencing homelessness and connecting those families to other resources within their community.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Students
California Department of Education, Educator Excellence and Equity Division | June 2021

The California Department of Education's Educator Excellence and Equity Division (EEED) is pleased to announce that new web pages supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth, their families, and California’s educators who work with LGBTQ+ youth and their families are now posted on the CDE website.

The web pages fulfill the requirements of Assembly Bill 493, enacted as Education Code (EC) Section 218. EEED staff collaborated with LGBTQ+ stakeholders from across the state to develop these resources, which are intended for use in training school site staff to support LGBTQ+ students and improve the overall school climate.

Dual Language Learners

45 Strategies that Support Dual Language Learners, Excerpt, Create a Classroom Community and Frame Diversity as Strength (PDF)
Brookes Publishing | 2018 Creating a classroom community involves putting in place supports for DLLs as well as for all children in the classroom. Involving all children in creating a supportive classroom community is essential to ensuring that all children have the feelings educators would like them to have—feelings that will help children be ready to learn, such as security, support, happiness, excitement, curiosity, and interest. Creating a classroom community goes beyond giving DLLs the support they need to feel like part of the classroom. It also involves helping children develop the skills they need to have access to the same social and educational experiences as other children. Finally, creating a classroom community includes ensuring that all children learn to value their own culture as well as the culture and values of peers from backgrounds that are similar and different, showing genuine curiosity and interest in one another and viewing other beliefs and values with interest and compassion.
A Self Reflection Tool for Early Childhood Educators
SRI | February 2021Dual Language Learner Supports created a self-reflection tool for Early Learning teachers geared towards infants, toddlers, and children ages 3-5. It promotes full implementation of research-based strategies that ensure DLLs have full access to and effective participation in the daily learning experiences. The tool can be used to review instructional practices, identify children’s strengths, and plan for the next steps.
California’s Best Practices for Young Dual Language Learners (PDF)
Published: 2013 This publication provides early childhood educators with valuable information on the most current research on the development of young dual language learners. This series of research overviews spans the disciplines of neuroscience, cognitive science, developmental psychology, assessment, educational research, family engagement, and special needs.
Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)
The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), produced under the US Department of Education Office of Special Education, serves as a central resource of information and products to the community of Parent Training Information (PTI) Centers and the Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), so that they can focus their efforts on serving families of children with disabilities. The site provides resources by topic area, some in English and Spanish and when available, by state.
Colorín Colorado
Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational initiative of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital. Major funding comes from the American Federation of Teachers, with additional support from the National Institute for Literacy and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Cultural Diversity Tool Kit
Brookes Publishing | October 2020

“This collection of resources was created to help you teach young dual language learners effectively and provide skillful and culturally-competent support for children and their families.” Here, you’ll find articles, online resources, and book and tool recommendations. The Tool Kit includes 6 sets of resources to help you teach and support culturally and linguistically diverse young children.

Check out “Promoting Acceptance and Friendship”. “Friendships and other social relationships are vital to the well-being of every young child. Early childhood professionals play a key role in supporting authentic friendships among children of diverse cultural backgrounds and helping the diverse children you work with learn to accept and celebrate their differences.”

The recommended resources on this page will help you create a welcoming, inclusive learning environment where all children enjoy strong social connections and feel like they belong.

Cultural Linguistic Ability Diversity (CLAD)
This website, which we call CLAD, provides a variety of resources that are intentionally identified and selected to support the understanding and application of cultural, linguistic, and ability diversity practices within early childhood education. Learning to include and celebrate CLAD in early childhood environments is essential to supporting the full potential of all young children.
Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA)
ECTA is comprised of several recent OSEP-funded TA centers (NECTAC, CELL and TACSEI and ECO within the next two years). The purpose of ECTA is to improve state early intervention and early childhood special education service systems, increase the implementation of effective practices, and enhance the outcomes of these programs for young children and their families.
Edutopia
Edutopia is dedicated to transforming kindergarten through 12th-grade (K-12) education so all students can thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives. We are focused on practices and programs that help students acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, skills and beliefs to achieve their full potential.
English Learners with Disabilities

In August 2016, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2785 (Chapter 579, Statutes of 2016) calling upon the California Department of Education (CDE) to develop a manual that provides guidance to teachers and specialists in grades transitional kindergarten (TK)/K–12 to help them appropriately identify and support English Learners (ELs) with disabilities.

In response, the CDE developed the California Practitioners’ Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities (PDF; 3MB) to provide information on identifying, assessing, supporting, and reclassifying ELs who may qualify for special education services and pupils with disabilities who may be classified as ELs. The manual or guide will also assist leaders in developing and implementing policies and practices related to ELs with disabilities.

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute: Cultural Competency
The Professional Development Center at FPG (PDC@FPG) provides people and organizations with opportunities to expand capacity, knowledge, and skills in areas related to child development and learning. PDC offerings are based on evidence-based content and strategies for supporting adult learners. Professional development options include: Institutes and Intensive Workshops, Online Learning, Technical Assistance Services, and Study Visits.
Head Start ECLKC: Culture and Language
Across early childhood systems and programs, managers and staff must be prepared to enhance experiences for the growing number of young children who are learning their home languages and English. 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 from the Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) 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 ECLKC: Disabilities Services Newsletters
The Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) Disabilities Services Newsletter is produced monthly by the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (NCECDTL). It is dedicated to staff working with young children with disabilities and their families. This page provides current and past issues of the newsletter.
Head Start ECLKC: Dual Language Learners Toolkit
This Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) toolkit provides resources that can be used to support young children who are learning their home languages and English. It is divided into three sections: administrators and managers; teachers, caregivers, and family services staff; and families. First, watch the video and then select from the links below to start exploring the available materials. Delete all other bullets. The links no longer work.
Head Start ECLKC: Partnering with Families of Children Who Are Dual Language Learners
Head Start ECLKC

Families are their children’s first educators. From birth, families nurture their children to be healthy and successful in school and in life. Head Start and Early Head Start program staff share these goals and partner with families as they work to meet these goals. There are unique ways in which these partnerships matter for children who speak languages other than English. Young children can thrive when families and staff partner closely to support home languages, and embrace families’ cultures and traditions.

Download the PDF 

Head Start ECLKC: The Big Five for Children with Disabilities Who Are Dual Language Learners
Head Start ECLKC

High-quality language and literacy experiences in early childhood lay the foundation for all children’s development and learning. These resources offer practices to help education staff plan more individualized and culturally and linguistically responsive learning experiences for young children who have disabilities or suspected delays and are dual language learners (DLLs). Meeting the individual needs of children supports equitable learning and helps create high-quality inclusion environments that promote a sense of belonging for all children.

Download the PDF

Improving Access and Opportunity for Latinos in Early Childhood
What are the elements of a quality education for young Latino children and their teachers that is culturally and linguistically responsive to their needs? The Center for Children & Families conducted a project to address this critical issue, and as a result developed a set of publications to support trainers, practitioners, and families.
Learning for Justice
Formerly Teaching ToleranceFounded in 1991 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance is dedicated to reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations and supporting equitable school experiences for our nation's children.
National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
NCLR has profiled four early childhood education programs from our network of Affiliates that exemplify best practices in serving young Latino and ELL children and their families. Each report profiles one Affiliate and provides policy recommendations to help bring these programs to scale. The link above gives you access to 4 downloadable reports on Preparing Young Latino Children for School Success: Best Practices in 1) Professional Development 2) Students Assessments 3) Language Instruction and 4) Family Engagement
Policy Statement on Supporting the Development of Children Who are Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs (PDF)
Published: 2016 A major challenge facing early childhood education and the k–12 education system in the United States is the fact that as the population changes, the particular needs of children change with it. One of the largest demographic shifts in the last decade is the increase in the number of children who speak English as their second language. The majority of these children are born in the United States and thus from a very young age are acquiring both the language of their family as well as the language of the larger community. These very young children are dual language learners (DLLs).
Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English
Published: 2017 This practitioner toolkit, designed for practitioners who work with children in grade 5 and younger, is based on a report from the National Academies, Engineering, and Medicine, Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures (2017). This report examines what research evidence reveals about learning English from early childhood through high school, identifies effective practices for educators to use, and recommends steps policy makers can take to support high quality educational outcomes for children and youth who are learning English. The report addresses children who are Dual language learners or DLLs (children ages birth to 5 who are learning two languages at once and who are not in the K-12 school system) and English learners or ELs (children in the pre-K-12 education system whose primary language is not English and who are learning English as a second language). Report is in English and Spanish
Supporting Children with Disabilities Who Are Also Dual Language Learners
  • Presented by: Head Start, National Center for Quality Teaching and Learning
  • Length: 1 hour

In this hour long webinar, discover myths and facts about and ways to support children with disabilities who are also dual language learners (DLLs). Listen as presenters share high-quality screening practices to determine if a child who is a DLL needs further evaluation. Explore teaching practices for promoting engagement once a child has been identified as having a disability.

Supporting Multilingual Students in the Early Grades
Published: Edutopia | December 2020 Multilingualism is an asset to be nurtured in our classrooms, and the following five strategies can help teachers strategically and intentionally celebrate and extend multilingual children’s existing linguistic expertise as well as their participation in learning activities both in person and virtually.
Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early Childhood Educators Need to Know
Brookes Publishing | 2021

As the number of dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood settings continues to rise, educators need to know how to teach, engage, and assess children from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. They'll have the effective strategies they need with this timely book, a reader‐friendly guide that expertly connects research to practice for teachers of young DLLs.

Early childhood educators will start with a detailed review of the demographics of today's DLLs and the latest research findings on supporting the learning and development of bilingual and multilingual children. Then they'll find practical guidance on the best instructional and assessment practices to integrate into their classrooms. Throughout the book, five in‐depth case studies of diverse children highlight the importance of considering each child's background, skills, and home experiences when designing effective learning environments.

Free Excerpt-Chapter One (PDF)

The Gift (Video)
Length: 5:13 mins Dual Language Learners (DLLs) are children who are learning and developing in more than one language. In the US, 1 in 4 children under 8 is Dual Language Learners. Each one is given a precious gift by their family: the gift of their first language and home culture.
Useable Knowledge: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Usable Knowledge is an online resource from the Harvard Graduate School of Education that aims to make education research and best practices accessible to educators, policymakers, members of the media, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and parents.
Vermont Young DLL Tool Kit
Published: March 2016 | Authors: Camille Catlett, Susan M. Moore, & Clara Perez-Mendez The purpose of this toolkit is to provide early childhood colleagues with evidence-based practices, tools, and strategies to support young Dual Language Learners (DLLs) and their families. Despite a slight emphasis on Vermont, it is broadly applicable for practitioners and others across the country.
Welcoming-Bilingual-Learners-with-Disabilities-into-Dual-Language-Programs
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)

This white paper reviews evidence concerning the capacity of young learners with disabilities to acquire more than one language during the preschool and school years and the characteristics of dual language programs and classroom instruction and intervention practices that support their language development, learning, and well-being in school.

Multiple Languages

All About Young Children
All About Young Children: Information for Families on Children’s Early Development. This website provides resources for families based on the California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations and the California Preschool Learning Foundations. This website presents information for families that focuses on key infant/toddler learning and development foundations and preschool learning foundations and includes discussion about those foundations by groups of parents. The information in the website is available in 7 different languages
American Federation for the Blind (AFB)
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB's work in these areas is supported by the strong presence the organization maintains in Washington, DC, ensuring the rights and interests of people with vision loss are represented in our nation's public policies.
Autism Society of America (ASA)
ASA, the nation's leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy.
  • The Autism Speaks Network
    The Autism Speaks Network is a new digital network designed to be the home of premier autism video content online and mobile. The Autism Speaks Network (TASN) is a subsidiary of Autism Speaks and will curate important shows like Autism Live, @AspergerSadie, Kerry's Korner, The Autism Team, The Dr. G Aspie Show and Autism Today TV, and house them in one location for simple and convenient viewing.
  • Sitio en Español (Site in Spanish)
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
Bananas Inc.
BANANAS is a child care resource and referral service. We often just call ourselves an R&R, short for Resource and Referral. We helped create R&R's in California and in the rest of the country. We exist to help parents find child care and children's services in their communities. Sounds simple? Well, a lot goes into that task. We help develop new child care resources and maintain existing ones so that parents have a good selection to choose from. We provide counseling to parents as they tackle the difficult task of choosing child care. We provide back-up support in different languages (written materials, workshops, support groups, advice line) to parents. We participate in myriad cooperative activities in the community to work on building a better world for children and families.
Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive Initiative of the US Department of Health and Human Services
This initiative draws heavily on previous developmental and behavioral screening efforts by consolidating materials from a wide array of federal agencies and their non-federal partners. As part of this initiative, they have published a compendium of research-based developmental screening tools appropriate for use across a wide range of settings and tailored guides/resources for use with the screening tools geared toward nine different audiences including early care and education providers, early intervention providers, home visitors and families. The guides addresses the importance of developmental and behavioral screening, how to talk to parents, where to go for help, and how to select the most appropriate screening tool for the population served as well as the provider implementing the screening.
California Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is the agency through which the state of California provides services and supports to children and adults with developmental disabilities. These disabilities include mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism and its related conditions. DDS is California’s lead agency for services for children birth to three years of age, as defined under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA ’04). For information on programs and resources for children ages birth to 3 visit the Birth to 36 Months Home Page. There are several Web links for agencies and services related to Early Start:
Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE)
The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) works to increase the nation’s capacity to effectively resolve special education disputes, reducing the use of expensive adversarial processes. CADRE works with state and local education and early intervention systems, parent centers, families and educators to improve programs and results for children with disabilities. CADRE is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs at the US Department of Education to serve as the National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education.
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC)
The Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CECMHC) was funded as an Innovation and Improvement Project by the Office of Head Start in October 2008. The 3-year grant brings together a group of university researchers to develop strategies to help Head Start programs build a strong mental health foundation for their children, families and staff. The site houses resources for Head Start mental health consultants, staff, families, administrators and T&TA Providers.
Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL)
The goal of the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) is to promote the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices. This site has resources for early childhood intervention practitioners, parents, and other caregivers of children, birth to five years of age, with identified disabilities, developmental delays, and those at-risk for poor outcomes.
  • Spanish Practice Guides for Use with Parents
    Parents who speak Spanish may use these products to provide their infants, toddlers, or preschoolers with fun and exciting literacy learning experiences. Practitioners working with parents who speak Spanish may also find these helpful.
  • CELL Videos
    CELL videos are designed for the teacher, parent, trainer, coach and home visitor. Each video introduces and illustrates a key component of the CELL Early Literacy Learning Model.
Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)
The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), produced under the US Department of Education Office of Special Education, serves as a central resource of information and products to the community of Parent Training Information (PTI) Centers and the Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), so that they can focus their efforts on serving families of children with disabilities. The site provides resources by topic area, some in English and Spanish and when available, by state.
Center on Technology and Disability (CTD)
The Center on Technology and Disability (CTD) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The Center is designed to increase the capacity of families and providers to advocate for, acquire, and implement effective assistive and instructional technology (AT/IT) practices, devices, and services. Research-based technologies, used appropriately, have great potential to help infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities participate fully in daily routines; have increased access to the general educational curriculum; improve their functional outcomes and educational results; and meet college- and career-ready standards.
  • CTD Library
  • Isabel Needs Assistive Technology (Video)
    In this story, you'll meet Marta, the mother of Isabel, a young girl with fine motor and learning disabilities. The video introduces viewers to assistive technology (AT) and takes them through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting during which AT is considered. This video is captioned in English and is "described" as well. FCTD and Dicapta invite you to view and share this video with your colleagues and the families you serve. This video was originally produced as a Spanish-language resource. Voice-over and captioning were added to provide access to larger audience.
Child Mind Institute: Trauma Resources
The Child Mind Institute has prepared free trauma resources to aid parents, educators, and other adults in talking to children and adolescents about potentially traumatic events and identifying those who might benefit from more focused professional attention. Our children can be more sensitive to challenges around them because of their life experience and they need our support. Resources are available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, German, Hebrew, Italian, Chinese, Russian, and Bengali.
Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled (CPAD)
CPAD Is a non-profit organization dedicated to help individuals with special needs and their families (e.g. Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy… etc). All the parent members are volunteers, and strive to help each individual achieve his or her full potential toward a meaningful and productive life; to encourage opportunities of social integration, and social inclusion into mainstream society. We can provide information about various disabilities, suggest referrals to appropriate community resources, and offer interpreter/translation assistance. On a periodic basis, CPAD also invites subject matter experts and legal petitioners to speak on subjects such as how to fight for better educational services and gain better understanding of their legal rights.
Colorín Colorado
Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational initiative of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital. Major funding comes from the American Federation of Teachers, with additional support from the National Institute for Literacy and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Communication Development: A Parent’s Guide
The guide provides an online guide to communication development for parents. The purpose of this guide is to provide current information about topics related children's speech, language, and communication development that may be helpful to parents. In this guide, you'll find information on commonly asked questions about communication development and about speech and language therapy.
Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services Early Childhood Research Institute (CLAS)
The CLAS Institute identifies, evaluates, and promotes effective and appropriate early intervention practices and preschool practices that are sensitive and respectful to children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The CLAS Institute identifies, collects, reviews, catalogs, abstracts, and describes materials and practices developed for children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and professionals who work with them.
Disability Rights California

Disability Rights California works to bring about fairness and justice for people with disabilities. To reach those goals of fairness and justice, they may: file lawsuits on behalf of individuals or groups: investigate charges of abuse and neglect; build peer/self advocacy groups; forge community partnerships; advocate for change in laws, regulations, and public policy, and provide information to those who may not know about their rights.

Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA)
ECTA is comprised of several recent OSEP-funded TA centers (NECTAC, CELL and TACSEI and ECO within the next two years). The purpose of ECTA is to improve state early intervention and early childhood special education service systems, increase the implementation of effective practices, and enhance the outcomes of these programs for young children and their families.
Ellen Satter Institute: Helping Adults and Children be Joyful and Confident with Eating
Ellyn Satter is an internationally recognized authority on eating and feeding. Practical, warm and empowering, Satter integrates her 40 years of experience in helping adults be more positive, organized and nurturing in caring for themselves and their children. She emphasizes competency rather than deficiency: providing rather than depriving: and trust rather than control. Her theoretically grounded and clinically sound methods allow the individual's own capacity for effective and rewarding food behavior to evolve.
Enabling Education Network (EENET)
EENET is an information-sharing network on the issue of inclusive education. Our network is open to everyone. We share information originating in countries of the South and encourage conversations and debates about inclusion and rights in education.
Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development
The Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development is produced by the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development (CEECD) and the Strategic Knowledge Cluster on Early Child Development (SKC-ECD). Respectively based at the Université de Montréal and Université Laval (Quebec, Canada), these two organizations have built over the years a solid network of international experts who gather, synthesize and comment, in their respective domain of expertise, the most up-to-date scientific knowledge available on the development of young children, from conception to age five. The website is available in English, French, Spanish, Portugese and Russian.
Epilepsy Foundation
The Epilepsy Foundation is the national voluntary agency solely dedicated to the welfare of the 2.7 million people with epilepsy in the U.S. and their families. The organization works to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; and to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through research, education, advocacy and services. In addition to programs conducted at the national level, epilepsy clients throughout the United States are served by affiliated Epilepsy Foundation offices in nearly 100 communities. The three affiliates in California are the Epilepsy Foundation – Greater Los Angeles, Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California, and Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego.
Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California
The Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California is dedicated to providing information, resources and support to the over 140,000 Northern Californians living with epilepsy. Our goal is to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences, to improve how the community views epilepsy, and to dispel myths about this condition by providing information through statewide training, events, and programs.
Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC)
Based in San Diego, the Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC) is a community-based collaborative agency, staffed by parents and professionals. It is designed to serve families of individuals with special needs by providing a broad continuum of information, education, and support. Services and supports are offered in English and Spanish.
Federation for Children with Special Needs
The Federation is a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families. We can help! Organized in 1975 as a coalition of parent groups representing children with a variety of disabilities, the Federation operates a Parent Center in Massachusetts which offers a variety of services to parents, parent groups, and others who are concerned with children with special needs.
First Words Project
FIRST WORDS© Project is a longitudinal research investigation in the Florida State University Autism Institute in the College of Medicine directed by Dr. Amy Wetherby. Our major goal is to identify early signs of developmental language disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and other communication delays in children from 9 to 24 months of age. The website includes downloadable books and video in English and Spanish that demonstrate developmental milestones of communication for gestures in the 16 by 16 (16 gestures by 16 months). Also on the site is a video growth chart that shows what can be expected at various ages.
H.E.A.R.T.S. Connection of Kern County
H.E.A.R.T.S. Connection is a Family Resource Center and a Family Empowerment Center staffed by parents and family members of Kern County children with disabilities and/or special health care needs. Staff in the Family Resource Center provide families with parent to parent support, advocacy, training and assistance, resource coordination and information.
Head Start ECLKC: Culture and Language
Across early childhood systems and programs, managers and staff must be prepared to enhance experiences for the growing number of young children who are learning their home languages and English. 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 from the Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) 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 ECLKC: Mental Health
Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) programs support the mental health of children, families, and staff every day. Early childhood mental health is the same as social and emotional well-being. It is a child's developing capacity to express and regulate emotions, form trusting relationships, explore, and learn-all in the cultural context of family and community. The mental health of children and the adults that care for them is essential for school readiness.
healthfinder.gov
healthfinder.gov, a government Web site where you will find information and tools to help you and those you care about stay healthy.
  • Sitio en Español (Site in Spanish) Based on the English version , health finder.gov en Español offers personalized and actionable health information presented in an easy to read format. The quick Guide to Health Living provide information on over 40 different health topics from acupuncture to vaccinations. Each heath topic includes small steps and quick tips you can follow to be health and stay healthy.
HealthyChildren.org
Kids Health
KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health. As part of The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth also provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens. The website has an easy to understand description of dwarfism, it’s origin, diagnosis and tips for helping a child with dwarfism.
LD OnLine
LD OnLine is the world's leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD, serving more than 200,000 parents, teachers, and other professionals each month. LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD.
Let’s Move! Child Care
First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled Let's Move! Child Care in June 2011 as a new effort to work with child care providers to help our youngest children get off to a healthy start. The First Lady released a fact sheet and checklist (PDF) that providers and parents can use as a tool to encourage healthy eating and physical activity and limit screen time for young children. The website, developed by Nemours, provides free, comprehensive resources and tools in Spanish and English.
Love Talk Play
Parents agree they are child's first and most important teachers, but many say they don't know how to make the most of this role to give their children the best possible start in school and life. This website, sponsored by Thrive by 5 Washington, the state's public-private partnership for early learning, aims to surround parents with simple messages about three key things parents need to be doing with their child everyday: Love, Talk, Play!
Matrix Parent Network + Resource Center
Matrix is a parent-run information and resource center providing no-cost services to families of children with special needs (birth through age 26) in Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. Through the delivery of comprehensive support services, Matrix helps families in Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties become well informed and better able to advocate for their children in order to enrich their lives.
National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC)
NCCC provides national leadership and contributes to the body of knowledge on cultural and linguistic competency within systems and organizations. Major emphasis is placed on translating evidence into policy and practice for programs and personnel concerned with health and mental health care delivery, administration, education and advocacy. The NCCC is a component of the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD) and is housed within the Department of Pediatrics of the Georgetown University Medical Center. It provides training, technical assistance, and consultation, contributes to knowledge through publications and research, creates tools and resources to support health and mental health care providers and systems, supports leaders to promote and sustain cultural and linguistic competency, and collaborates with an extensive network of private and public entities to advance the implementation of these concepts.
National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)
NCFL provides support and strategies to a network of entities involved in advancing education and families learning together, including educators, schools, community based organizations, and libraries. Our efforts support learners of all ages in these environments in concert with our advocates and partners.
National Child Trauma Stress Network: Resources for Educators
Provides a comprehensive website on trauma with information and resources for parents, care givers and educators in English and Spanish.
  • Guiding Caregivers: How to Talk to a Child About Deportation or Separation Published: Mar 2019 Offers guidance on how to talk with children about deportation or separation. This fact sheets guides family members, caregivers, as well as providers, on how to speak to children about these issues including, if it is appropriate to talk to children at all about such things and how to use analogies to explain the idea of deportation and separation.
  • The Road to Recovery: Supporting Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma
    The Road to Recovery is a training that provides an overview for providers on how to work with children and families who are living with intellectual and development disabilities who have experienced trauma. This Toolkit consists of a Facilitator Guide and a Participant Manual. Together, they are designed to teach basic knowledge, skills, and values about working with children with IDD who have had traumatic experiences, and how to use this knowledge to support children’s safety, well-being, happiness, and recovery through trauma-informed practice.
  • Psychological First Aid Online
    PFA online includes a 6-hour interactive course that puts the participant in the role of a provider in a post-disaster scene. This professionally-narrated course is for individuals new to disaster response who want to learn the core goals of PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a review.
National Down Syndrome Congress
The NDSC works to empower its members and all people with Down syndrome by creating a national climate in which all people will recognize and embrace the value and dignity of people with Down syndrome. The NDSC operates the NDSC Center which serves as a clearinghouse for information on Down syndrome. The Center provides up-to-date information on topics of interest to people with Down syndrome, family members, friends, professionals and interested others.
National Down Syndrome Society
The mission of NDSS is to benefit people with Down syndrome and their families through national leadership in education, research and advocacy. Our activities include:
  • Developing and disseminating quality educational materials and programs.
  • Initiating and advancing basic, clinical and applied research.
  • Shaping and advocating for improved public policy, increased public resources and services for people with Down syndrome.
  • Working in partnership with our affiliates and other support organizations.
  • Sitio En Español (Site in Spanish)
National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Established in 1988, NIDCD is mandated to conduct and support biomedical and behavioral research and research training in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. It is estimated that more than 46 million people in the United States suffer some form of disordered communication. NIDCD has focused national attention on disorders of human communication and has contributed to advances in biomedical and behavioral research that will improve the lives of millions of individuals with communication disorders. NIDCD has made important contributions to the body of knowledge needed to help those who experience communication disorders and to advance research in all aspects of human communication.
National PTA
PTA's mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
PACER Center
The Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers is an innovative project that provides technical assistance to the over 100 Parent Centers funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The ALLIANCE National Center at PACER Center conducts national conferences, produces materials on special education topics, and offers high quality expertise to Parent Centers nationwide.
Parent Center Hub: Legacy Resources from NICHCY
The CPIR is pleased to give a the home to many of the resources developed by NICHCY, the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. NICHCY’s funding ended in October 2013, but many of its products and webpages will live on here, where we can maintain their accuracy and continue to make them available to families, professionals, and Parent Centers.
Parent Tool Kit
This toolkit, produced by NBC News Education Nation, will help you navigate your child's journey from pre-kindergarten through high school. It is designed to help you track and support progress at each stage. Produced by NBC's Education Nation project, the Parent Toolkit website has comprehensive resources and minute-long videos for parents of kids at every age and grade. The content covers a variety of topics, including health and wellness, academics, and social and emotional development. All the videos and resources are available in both English and Spanish.
Pathways.org
Pathways Awareness Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the benefit of early detection and early therapy for children with early motor delays. We strive to help all children develop to reach their fullest potential. Our website, designed for both parents and professionals, contains valuable information about children's physical development and crucial infant milestones, including a growth and development chart in 11 different languages that lets you track your child's physical, play, and speech milestones from 3 to 15 months. Great tip: Print out our chart and keep it on your refrigerator or above your changing table!
People First Language
For too long, people who happen to have conditions we call "disabilities" have been subjected to devaluation, marginalization, prejudice, and more. And the first way to devalue someone is through language, by using words or labels to identify a person/group as "less-than," as "the other," "not like us," and so forth. Once a person/group has been identified this way, it makes it easier to justify prejudice and discrimination. Our language shapes our attitudes; our attitudes shape our language; they're intertwined. And our attitudes and language drive our actions!
Reasons for Concern: That your child or a child in your care may need special help (PDF)
Revised: Oct 2020

This brochure is a collaborative effort between the Department of Developmental Services and the California Department of Education. The brochure is designed to facilitate finding and identifying young children who may benefit from early intervention or specialized education services and to encourage appropriate referrals regarding these children to Early Start and special education preschool services. It can be ordered through the Publications Order Form.

Also available in:

SAMHSA: Coping with Violence and Traumatic Events: Tips for Talking with Children
Provides parent tips for talking with children of different ages in downloadable PDFs in English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish.
  • Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers (PDF) Children and youth can face emotional strains after a traumatic event such as a car crash or violence. Disasters also may leave them with long-lasting harmful effects. When children experience a trauma, watch it on TV, or overhear others discussing it, they can feel scared, confused, or anxious. Young people react to trauma differently than adults. Some may react right away; others may show signs that they are having a difficult time much later. As such, adults do not always know when a child needs help coping. This tip sheet will help parents, caregivers, and teachers learn some common reactions, respond in a helpful way, and know when to seek support.
Special Parents Information Network
Parents of children with special needs may feel isolated and overwhelmed with the medical, emotional, financial, educational and social issues they face as they raise their child. SPIN is a non-profit parent-to-parent support and information network serving parents, guardians and families in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties who have a child or children with special needs of any age. In 1985 a group of Santa Cruz County parents of children with special needs began meeting together for support. Through the years parents have continued to maintain the organization that, in 1996, became known as SPIN (Special Parents Information Network). In June, 2000, SPIN became incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation. SPIN continues to support and provide information about resources to strengthen families.
Story Blocks
Storyblocks is a project of Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy, working in partnership with Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Services. It is a collection of 30-60 second videos designed to model to parents, caregivers, and library staff some songs, rhymes, and fingerplays appropriate for early childhood. Each video clip includes helpful early literacy tips to increase caregivers’ understanding of child development and pre-literacy needs. Songs that use movement or fingerplay, like The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, can be a great way to draw very young children to interact and follow a sequence. This site has videos of native speakers demonstrating interactive songs in English, French, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, American Sign Language, Italian, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
Is a parent-run San Francisco-based nonprofit organization founded in 1982. We support families of children with any kind of disability or special health care need as they face challenges. Our newsletter is published quarterly in English, Spanish and Chinese. For a free subscription to the newsletter, and/or to have a copy snail-mailed to you, please call Open Gate at 415-920-5040, or email info@supportforfamilies.org. Be sure to include your complete address and your preferred language.
Supporting Young Children and Families Impacted by Immigration Policies: Recorded Webinar
Published: September 27, 2017 | Early Childhood Investigations: Hannah Matthews, Dr. Michael McNeil, Wendy Cervantes Harsh immigration policies undermine the safety, health, and overall development of young children in immigrant families, the vast majority of whom are U.S. citizens. New and proposed immigration policies—including increased immigration enforcement actions–have threatened the well-being of millions of children, threatening to separate them from their parents and to cut them off from critical health and nutrition assistance. This power webinar, presented by Wendy Cervantes, Dr. Michael McNeil and Hannah Matthews will discuss how the recent executive orders and other immigration policy proposals impact young children in immigrant families and what early childhood providers can do to help support their students and families who may be at risk. Resources from the webinar:
Talk with Me Baby
Published: Sep 2015 | 2:38 minutes The team behind Talk With Me Baby™ is a collaboration of six leadership organizations, all working to bring the concept of language nutrition into public awareness and educate caregivers on the importance of talking with their baby every day, in an effort to close the word gap. Talking with your baby helps grow your baby’s brain. Learn how early exposure to language can help a child build vocabulary, communicate better with adults, be ready for kindergarten and develop an essential life skill: the ability to read by the end of third grade.
Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing
"Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing" is a campaign of Too Small to Fail in partnership with various organizations that are dedicated to improving early childhood development. It offers the free downloadable Sesame Street Family Guide: Talking is Teaching available in English and Spanish. It helps caregivers and parents fill each day with words, stories, songs … and love. Inside are tips and activities around talking, reading and singing with children and Milestone Cards to use as the child grows.
Teaching Pyramid: Training and Technical Assistance Model
The Teaching Pyramid approach provides a systematic framework that promotes social and emotional development, provides support for children's appropriate behavior, prevents challenging behavior, and addresses problematic behavior. The WestEd Center for Child and Family Studies offers comprehensive professional development packages for infant/toddler, preschool, and early elementary educators. WestEd's Teaching Pyramid is based on evidence-based practice originally developed by the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (CSEFEL), authorized by California Department of Education (CDE), and aligned with California's Early Learning and Development System.
Materials for Families and Classrooms available in Chinese and Spanish: Training & Technical Assistance
United Cerebral Palsy
Founded in 1949, the national organization and its nationwide network of affiliates strive to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in every facet of society—from the Web to the workplace, from the classroom to the community. United Cerebral Palsy's mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network.
Zero to Three: Cope After Exposure to a Traumatic Event
Identifies what you might see in infants and toddlers exposed to trauma and what you can do to support them.