October 2023

This month at QSLA, we focus on emphasizing the importance of observing and embracing the unique developmental journey of your child.

Developmental Supports from Help Me Grow LA and Local Regional Centers

Tools for Monitoring & Screening from Help Me Grow LA

Created by First 5 LA and the Department of Public Health, Help Me Grow Los Angeles strives to support all families in promoting young children's development and lifelong success by connecting them to developmental services and supports that promote their child's well-being. Explore their website, as Help Me Grow LA offers many valuable resources you can share with your early learning staff and the families you work with! Consider these resources:

• Milestone Checklists - Specific checklists for families to use in their developmental monitoring, ranging from 2 months to 5 years in English, Español, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese!
• Tips for Talking to Your Doctor - A 1-page tip sheet for families to feel empower and take informed steps towards advocating for their child's wellbeing as they speak with their child's doctor.
• L.A. Care Referral Handout- Your early learning program can fill in this 1-page template to help connect families with local resources and programs. Consider sharing with families and posting it in your program's Family Engagement postings!

Find Your Local Regional Center!

Managed by the Department of Developmental Services, regional centers are a statewide network of community-based nonprofit agencies that offer services for Californians with developmental disabilities. Regional centers provide assessments, determine eligibility for services, and offer case management services. Regional centers also develop, purchase, and coordinate the services in each person’s Individual Program Plan. Take advantage of their Regional Center Lookup Tool to find your local regional center!

Family Education: Best Practices

As we reflect on how to strengthen our family education practices to better support families' parenting skills, consider this chart of best practices in parent education from the article "Parent Education: What We Know and Moving Forward for Greatest Impact" by Amanda Morris, et al.

Try a new practice from this list during your next interactions with families and reflect how it changes these interactions.

Trainings to Support Children's Developmental Journey

Empowering Educators: Trauma-Informed Art for Classroom Transformation

You won’t want to miss this in-person, hands-on workshop with CreativePlayLA founder, Anna Reyner! Learn about the essential principles of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and gain practical tools and techniques to apply TIC principles immediately in your programs, fostering self-expression, emotional growth, and trust. Enhance your teaching with creative art demonstrations and explore the power of music, movement, and rhythm in reducing stress and secondary trauma. This dynamic workshop will help you make a positive impact on young children and your own well-being. Breakfast and lunch will be provided!

Friday, November 17th from 9AM to 4PM

Location: Long Beach City College - PCC Campus, 1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. Long Beach, CA, 90806

Friday, November 17th from 9AM to 4PM

Location: Long Beach City College - PCC Campus, 1305 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. Long Beach, CA, 90806

Thank you to California Community Foundation for their sponsorship of this event!

The Growing Brain: Communication and Language Development

Join the Child Care Resource Center for this 3-hr virtual training! What can you expect to learn? Explore how communication and language skills develop during the first five years. Understand how the brain functions during the development of these skills and the progression of communication milestones. Learn strategies for supporting early communication skills and multi-language learning.

Wednesday, October 18th,

5:30 - 8:30 PM

Language Development, Communication and Culture

Join the YCMA Childcare Resource service for this 2-hr virtual training! As a participant, you will: Learn the active role of infants in early language learning and understand some of the language delays. Participate in activities that will teach you to create and enhance language experiences for early learners. Discover the benefits and importance of an individual and cultural variation in language development.

Monday, November 6th,

5:30 - 7:30 PM

Help Me Grow Minnesota: MNDeptofEd | 明尼蘇達州教育中心：嬰兒發展里程碑

🌟 Join us on a heartwarming journey through the magical world of infant and toddler development milestones! From their first precious smile to those adorable first steps, watch in awe as your little ones achieve incredible milestones on their path to growing up. 🚼👣 Don't miss out on the Help Me Grow Minnesota: MNDeptofEd video series, celebrating the beauty of parenting and growth. 💕 #ParentingMilestones #GrowingTogether #ChildDevelopment #MilestoneMoments

🌟 與我們一起踏上嬰幼兒發展的神奇世界之旅！從他們的第一個珍貴的微笑到可愛的第一步，到看著您的孩子在成長的道路上實現令人難以置信的里程碑。 🚼👣 不要錯過 “幫我成長明尼蘇達” ：MNDeptofEd 影片系列，慶祝成長的美好。 💕#育兒里程碑#共同成長#兒童發展里程碑時刻 #ParentingMilestones #GrowingTogether #ChildDevelopment #MilestoneMoments

Supporting Families and Caregivers in Addressing Conversations Around War and Conflict

As we navigate global and local news regarding many situations involving war and conflict, this can bring up challenges in discussing these matters with young children. Early educators and families can all benefit from resources such as these below, including research-based facts and conversation tips for navigating these complex conversations with young children in age-appropriate ways:

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Fact Sheet

• UNICEF - How to talk to your children about conflict and war

• American Academy of Pediatrics - How to talk with kids about tragedies

Source: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/national-parent-survey-overview-and-key-insights/