The CDC offers information about developmental milestones by age and children’s mental health as well as developmental screenings. There are tips for positive parenting and other research and resources. The Child Development Page on the CDC website gives information about a variety of health and safety concerns if you need more information about specific conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, muscular dystrophy, hearing or vision loss, etc.
Talking to families about your concerns can be difficult. However, open communication is always best. You may suspect a delay, but after talking to parents you might find there are other underlying reason for what you have observed or you might find parents have the same concerns. This handout from the CDC can be a helpful starting point for a conversation to determine if there is a need for further assessment.
Tips for Talking with Parents about Developmental Concerns
In our recent webinar on child development, providers had lots of questions and advice on dealing with the development of the children in their care. So we brought together some resources from providers as well as expert in the field. Check out these resources for more information.
Establishing a United Approach with Parents
Town Square offers professional development through webinars and modules that count for Gateways clock hours. Some even count for the FCC credential and toward ExceleRate. If you want to learn more about child development for the family child care provider you can check out our Child Development Webinar on the Grow Page.