Resources for Parents and Families

• American Academy of Pediatrics Literacy Toolkit
  This is an interactive web-based resource designed to help health professionals encourage all parents to read with their children. The site introduces a wide variety of strategies and tools to support the mission of promoting child development and future school success. Many of these resources can easily be adapted for use by early childhood professionals.
• Bright Futures/Child Care Health Partnership Handouts for Parents
  Introducing new handouts that provide parents with information on what child care programs will be working on with a child based on the child’s age. Each handout includes tips, tools for healthy, active living, and questions for parents to ask their health care professional.
• Care About Quality: Your Guide to Child Care
  This resource guide was published by the California Department of Education in 2000 to provide parents and family seeking child care with key indicators of quality child care settings, information on the types of child care available, and tips for interviewing potential child care providers.
• Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL)
  Materials that provide parents and teachers with simple ways to enhance daily activities and routines with literacy specific opportunities.
• Drowning Prevention
  In California, drowning is a leading cause of injury-related deaths among children under the age of five. Each year, near-drowning incidents result in life-long disabilities. The California Department of Developmental Services and the Drowning Prevention Foundation continue to raise awareness on this issue, and remind parents and caregivers that drowning is preventable.
• Education Resources for Spanish Speakers / Recursos en Espanol
  Resources from the United States Department of Education for Spanish speakers.
• Finding a Child Care Services Provider
  The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network assists families in the identification of local child care options. Provider services range from initial start-up assistance to a diverse number of program delivery trainings suited for established centers.
• First 5 California/Children and Families Commission
  The California Children and Families Act of 1998 is designed to provide, on a community-by-community basis, all children, prenatal to five years of age, with comprehensive child development services.
• NAEYC for Families
  Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), this program offers guidance and information for families seeking quality child care or preschool programs for their young children.
• Parent Portal to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  The Parent Portal organizes and presents information and resources from across CDC to make it easier for parents to find credible, accurate information on raising healthy kids and providing a safe home and community. It is also a resource for diseases and conditions that can occur, as well as for developmental milestones and schedules. The Parent Portal also provides information on physical activity, diet, physical and mental health, injuries and violence, peer relationships, and a special section on risk behaviors geared for the parents of teens.
• Policy on Parental Involvement
  California State Board of Education Policy: Parental Involvement in the Education of Their Children.
• Principles for Promoting Language, Literacy, and Learning for Preschool English Learners (English)
  Available translations of the Principles for Promoting Language, Literacy, and Learning for Preschool English Learners
  These ten principles will serve as a useful tool to guide practice and program planning for anyone who is involved in the education of preschool English learners. The document is a valuable resource for parents, the key partners in education, to support the language development of their own English learners.
• Reach Out and Read
  Reach Out and Read promotes early literacy and school readiness to young children and their families through thousands of pediatricians in all 50 states. Each year, medical providers at the nearly 5,000 Reach Out and Read program sites nationwide distribute 6.5 million books to children and invaluable literacy advice to parents.
• Recommended Literature List
  A collection of outstanding literature for children and adolescents in grades pre-kindergarten through grade twelve in all disciplines.
• Resources from the United States Department of Education
  A broad range of publications are available free of charge in English and Spanish. To order online, click on the link above, or call 1-877-4EDPUBS (1-877-433-7827) to order by phone.
• Text4Baby
  The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) has launched Text4Baby, a free mobile information service that provides pregnant women and new mothers with information to help them care for their health and give their babies the best possible start in life.
• Training Resources for Informal Caregivers, In Support of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Learning (English)
  Printable version (PDF) of the Training Resources for Informal Caregivers Brochure
  Spanish translation printable version (PDF)
  Available translations of Training Resources for Informal Caregivers, In Support of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Learning
  A brochure from the Child Development Division on training opportunities that promote quality child care and development practices to informal or license-exempt providers who care for children whose families are enrolled in California Department of Education-funded alternative payment programs.

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Related Content

• External Child Care Resources - A list of organizations which have child care services as their primary area of interest.