Professional Development Training for Early Head Start Teachers

Teachers, early childhood educators, and childcare providers play a critical role in laying a foundation for young children’s developmental success. The first three years of life provide a critical foundation for child developmental success, and this period is both a time of vulnerability and opportunity. During this period, strong early relationships between parents or caregivers and their child(ren) can protect children and promote child resilience, even in the face of stresses and adversity. Yet caregivers’ own experiences of stress may interfere with their ability to detect, interpret, and respond to young children’s emotional needs. In our early work interviewing and meeting with early childhood staff, we often heard a wish for more support as teachers navigate the challenges of supporting not only children, but also parents and the parent-child relationships, in their classrooms.