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This interactive learning series is intended for professionals in Head Start and child care, including school-age programs. There are 8 modules with background information, resources, and scenarios with suggested responses. The modules include an overview of homelessness and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, how to identify and reach out to homeless families, and how to connect with families and community resources. This resource supports resilience.
This issue brief explores American Indian Alaskan Native (AIAN) perspectives on "self-regulation," a key concept in the emerging social and emotional learning field. The article suggests a more holisitic definition of self-regulation, recognizing that in AIAN communities individual existence is understood as inseparable from family and community. Included are "snap shots" of self-regulation skills and lessons learned at various developmental ages. This resource supports resilience and is relevant to all races. See also related briefs on self-regulation in elementary-aged children (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/self-regulation-snap-shot-3-a-focus-on-elementary-aged-children) and middle-school-aged youth (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/self-regulation-snap-shot-4-a-focus-on-middle-school-aged-youth).
This issue brief provides a succinct overview of social emotional learning and why afterschool is a perfect place to focus on this and to achieve positive developmental outcomes. It includes examples of curriculum and activities for afterschool programs from SC, NC, GA, NH, and NY.
This resource defines the principles and practices that guide ethical decision-making strategies to ensure safe, nurturing environments and positive relationships in afterschool programs. Ethical responsibilities are organized into four sections: (1) children and youth, (2) families, (3) colleagues, and (4) community and society. It also includes an overview about ethical decision making, definitions, and a bibliography.
This report is the result of the work of a committee of experts who outlined a framework for a financing strategy for reliable, accessible, high quality early care and education, including supports for a qualified and well-compensated workforce. It looks at the landscape and current financing structure at the state and national level and creates recommendations for a four-phase implementation plan for transforming financing. For easiest access to the report, use the "read free online" button to view it.
This webpage offers a variety of resources focused on building resilience in children who face adverse experiences, challenges, and/or hardships. It includes a research brief on the science of resilience, three videos that provide an overview of why resilience matters, how it develops, and how to strengthen it in children, and links to related resources including an interactive game on building community resilience.
This self-assessment tool is designed to help afterschool program staff reflect upon their own social and emotional competencies and how their teaching practices promote the development of social and emotional competencies among youth. It includes a section on action planning for personal and professional improvement.
This brief outlines the "soft skills" that are needed to be successful in the workplace in the 21st century, and how Out-of-School Time (OST) practitioners can be more proactive in supporting the development of these employability skills. This resource may be especially useful to those OST practitioners working with older youth. A companion planning tool available here: https://www.air.org/resource/how-afterschool-programs-can-support-employability-through-social-and-emotional-learning helps providers identify priority areas for employability skills building based on youth and employer input.
This issue brief provides an easy-to-understand overview of the research on the development of social and emotional competencies in youth. It includes work done on how to define the concepts, research on how Out-of-School Time (OST) programs contribute to growth, and recommendations on next steps for practitioners and researchers.
This fact sheet helps families, caregivers, and teachers recognize common reactions of children, by age group, after experiencing a disaster or traumatic events. It offers tips on how to respond in a helpful way and useful resources. There is also a Spanish version available on the youth.gov website here: https://youth.gov/federal-links/spanish-version-tips-talking-and-helping-children-and-youth-cope-after-disaster-or