HarvardCenter

By designing and implementing policies that promote secure, consistent access to nutritious foods early in life, we can support children's physical and mental health—now and across the lifespan. Learn more: bit.ly/4cXBCeE

Read a note from our Faculty Director, Dr. Stephanie Jones, in our new newsletter: bit.ly/4nDL3mM Dr. Jones reflects on what she’s learned since joining the Center and marks Mental Health Awareness Month by discussing the importance of mental health in early childhood.

During early childhood, the brain develops rapidly, and early experiences shape the architecture of the developing brain—laying the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. Learn more: bit.ly/4hFNFwI

Children learn about the world through serve and return interactions with caregivers—just like this! Learn more here: bit.ly/3Djjg8m This video was originally shared by kuuipodawn on TikTok.

Policies and programs that support caregivers and minimize stressors—from paid family leave to housing subsidies—can play an important role in helping all our children to thrive. Learn more here: bit.ly/43bXRaX

Listen to the latest episode of The Brain Architects: bit.ly/4wjER7u In this episode, learn how stability across children’s developmental environments shapes their well-being and find strategies for promoting stability for young children and their caregivers.

When we work across sectors to ensure children are surrounded by positive experiences and opportunities, such as safe, stable housing and responsive relationships with caring adults, we can support their life-long mental health. #earlychildhood #mentalhealth

Young children thrive in predictable settings with consistently available, supportive caregivers. However, caregivers cannot do it alone—policies and programs need to help create stable environments for young children and caregivers: bit.ly/4cXBCeE

Childcare stability is associated with more secure attachment to the caregiver as well as improvements in language, literacy, and cognitive skills. This speaks to the importance of designing childcare policies and programs with stability in mind: bit.ly/3PbD432

Our Co-Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer, Tassy Warren, EdM, recently spoke at the State of the Child Summit, hosted by NC Child and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. Read more of what she said here: bit.ly/4vZg5cj

🏠 Policies and programs that promote housing stability – such as increasing access to safe, affordable housing – offer a tremendous opportunity to help children thrive. Learn more here: bit.ly/3PbD432

🤣 Play is such an important part of early childhood development! Learn more and find playful activities for children of all ages here: bit.ly/4h4kPFF

Children’s development is shaped by a range of influences from their developmental environment. By working across a broad array of sectors, we can help ensure every child grows up in a developmental environment where they have what they need to thrive: bit.ly/3UbHDdb

Fluctuations in family income are common—but when income is unpredictable, it can disrupt children’s environments. Income changes can contribute to housing instability & impact access to nutritious food, healthcare, and high-quality childcare. Learn more: bit.ly/4cXBCeE

ICYMI: Watch the recording of our recent webinar on stability in early childhood: bit.ly/4tHgr5r This conversation examined how stability—or the lack of it—in children’s developmental environments can affect their well-being in the moment and throughout their lives.

Stability is an essential part of a healthy developmental environment, and promoting stability across the web of influences in children’s lives offers a vital opportunity to support early development and lifelong health. Learn more here: bit.ly/4cXBCeE

Introducing a new working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child – Finding the Balance: Transforming How We Think About the Body’s Response to Stress in Early Childhood. 📚 You can read the paper here: bit.ly/4vhXO9U

📚 Reading together is a great time to have serve and return interactions! The back-and-forth exchanges in this video (including the eye contact and smiles!) support early development and lifelong health: bit.ly/3Djjg8m

Working together across sectors with a shared goal of increasing stability for children and their caregivers, we can have a broad range of positive impacts. Learn more here: bit.ly/3PbD432

A strong sense of mattering in early childhood can have an outsized positive effect on children’s health and well-being across their lives. 🌟 One strategy for promoting a strong sense of mattering in early childhood is practicing serve and return daily: bit.ly/3NIZb0w