(1) Communication

Research

• Talking about Early Childhood Development, FrameWorks Institute Toolkit
• Heckman Equation (focus on the return on investment of high-quality ECD)

 

Communication Materials

• Filling the Gap, The Forum for Youth Investment Infographic
• First 2000 Days, North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation
• Early Childhood Funders Collaborative Talking Points, FrameWorks Institute
  • A guide for more aligned and strategic communications (from CT, but applicable to NC)
• Reframing Early Childhood Development and Learning in Alamance County. The Frameworks Institute. August 2016.
  • The Frameworks Institute is working directly with early childhood development advocates to craft effective communications strategies.
• A Frameworks Communications Toolkit for Alamance County. The Frameworks Institute Toolkit
  • The Frameworks Institute is working directly with early childhood development advocates to craft effective communications strategies.
• Storytelling Toolkit – OpenIDEO Toolkit
  • Information on crafting your story by knowing your message and audience.
• The Brain Architecture Game
  • A game that builds understanding how early childhood experiences impact brain development. Team Catawba is using this successfully in their community.
• Frame[s] of Mind, The FrameWorks Institute
  • Podcast with different scholars and non-profit sector leaders having conversations about social science and social issues.
• Six Ways to Boost Public Support for Prevention-Based Policy, Stanford Social Innovation Review
  • Six communication strategies that can be used to build better public support for preventative policies.

 

The “BASICS”

• The Boston Basics
  • This free initiative was started by Harvard economics professor Ron Ferguson, who — with a group of his African American colleagues in Boston — got very tired of the persistence of racial achievement gaps in the city and in America. He worked from the neuroscience of early development to identify five principals of parent-child engagement that have the potential to tip the balance on improving developmental outcomes for young children.
  • There are five short videos, each with a parents’ tip sheet and other materials. The videos are available online for free and are in English, Spanish and Haitian now with other language translations pending. There is also a new Community Toolkit, freely available on the website.
• By becoming a partner in this work, a community or state can license the materials and recreate them in the name of their own community. Here are some best practices:
  • Bridgeport Basics
  • Palmetto County in South Carolina — Palmetto Basics

 

Business Case

• Social-Emotional Skills in Early Childhood Support Workforce Success, Council for a Stronger America Report
  • A report that examines how character skills formed in early childhood contribute to building a strong workforce
• The Business Case For Child Care, WilmingtonBiz
  • Employees need high-quality child care; child care worries affect productivity and absenteeism, which are critical to a business’s bottom line.
• Leading the Way: A Guide for Business Engagement in Early Education, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Toolkit
  • A toolkit that provides resources for the business community to advance access to high-quality, affordable childcare.
• Why Business Should Support Early Childhood Education, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for a Competitive Workforce Report
  • This report focuses on early learning as an investment in workforce development by supporting policies that proffer high-quality, evidence-based learning programs
• Guide to Family Forward Workplaces. NC Early Childhood Foundation, 2019.
  • Evidence-based guidance on benefits that positively impact child health and provide a positive return on investment for employers; sample policies and case studies from NC employers; steps for how to get started implementing new policies or enhance existing ones
• Why Reading Matters and What To Do About It – Business Roundtable (2016)
  • From the employer perspective, a report about the importance of reading proficiency by third grade, the negative impacts of low proficiency rates, and policy steps that can be taken.
• Want to Grow North Carolina’s Economy? Fix the Child Care Crisis  – ReadyNation (2019)
  • From the employer perspective, this report details how the lack of affordable child care, especially for infants and toddlers, negatively impacts the economy and costs families, taxpayers, and businesses.

 

Communicating with Health Care Providers

• What About the Babies? Building a Baby Bundle Ecosystem, Bridgeport Hospital Pediatric Grand Rounds (September 26, 2018)
  • A Janice Gruendel presentation for communicating to health care providers
• The Fight for Grade-Level Reading episode 2: Dr. Dipesh Navsaria of Reach Out and Read, Herald-Tribune
  • Dr. Dipesh Navsaria on a program that shows doctors and clinics how to bring early childhood literacy into the examining room

 

Communicating with Faith-Based Organizations

• First 2000 Days Powerpoint
  • Show this informative powerpoint from The NC Early Childhood Foundation about how faith communities can invest in the first 2,000 days of a child’s life
  • Noteworthy: Powerpoint Guide / Los Primeros 2000 DÍAS Powerpoint / Los Primeros 2000 DÍAS Powerpoint Guide
• Faith-Based Early Learning Toolkit Toolkit
  • The White House and Department of Education sponsor this guide to help faith leaders create quality early learning programs with a focus on African-American families
  • Noteworthy: “Section 4b: You Can Make a Difference” (Page 23)

 

Communicating with Educators

• A Gallop Through the Neuroscience of Trauma, Childhood Adversity and Community Resilience 
  • PowerPoint presentation by Janice Gruendel for educators and faculty at Randolph Middle School.
• What’s in Your Backpack? Applying the Neuroscience of Trauma and Resilience to be Better with Our Students and Ourselves 
  • PowerPoint presentation by Janice Gruendel for educators given at Westerly Hills Academy.
• How Teachers Can Use Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Practices to Support their Students, NC Department of Health and Human Services
  • Collection of resources to guide teachers in best supporting and working with traumatized children in the classroom.