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Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies

Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal & Eric Dearing · 2017

In a sentence

This comprehensive handbook synthesizes the latest evidence-based research on early childhood development programs, practices, and policies in the United States to guide scientists, practitioners, and policymakers in improving the lives of young children and their families.

In an era of growing economic inequality and demographic change, understanding what works to support young children is more critical than ever. The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies serves as an essential guide, bringing together leading experts to provide a thorough assessment of applied developmental science. Moving beyond the lab, this volume examines the real-world contexts—families, early care and education settings, communities, and public policy—that shape children's lives. It critically evaluates the evidence behind a wide array of interventions, from classroom curricula and parenting programs to income support and immigration policies. For researchers, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to closing achievement gaps and fostering healthy development for all children, this handbook is an invaluable resource for making evidence-informed decisions that have a lasting positive impact.

The model

This model, synthesized from the handbook, illustrates how public policies, ECEC programs, and family supports influence children's developmental outcomes. The effects are mediated by family resources, the quality of adult-child interactions, the child's physiological and neurological health, and self-regulatory capacities. Socio-contextual risks directly and indirectly impact these pathways, ultimately shaping both near-term school readiness and long-term life success, consistent with a bioecological systems framework.

Supportive Public Policiesdesign lever

The set of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and funding streams designed to support the well-being of children and families and the quality of early childhood systems. This includes policies related to income support, work-family balance, health care access, child welfare, and education.

ECEC Qualitydesign lever

The structural and process features of early care and education (ECEC) settings that are designed to promote children's holistic development, including the curriculum, physical environment, teacher qualifications, and the nature of teacher-child interactions.

Parenting and Family Support Programsdesign lever

Formal interventions designed to enhance parenting skills, strengthen family functioning, and build parent human capital. This includes home visiting programs, family-school partnership initiatives, and two-generation models.

Socio-Contextual Risk Exposurecontextual condition

The accumulation of adverse social, economic, and environmental conditions in a child's life that threaten healthy development. This includes factors such as poverty, low parental education, neighborhood disadvantage, discrimination, and family instability.

Family Economic and Social Resourcespsychological state

The financial, material, and social capital available within a family to invest in children's development and buffer against stress. This includes income, parental employment, food and housing security, and access to supportive social networks.

Quality of Proximal Interactionsbehavioral pattern

The nature of direct, reciprocal exchanges between a child and the key adults in their immediate environment (microsystem), primarily parents and early childhood educators. High-quality interactions are warm, responsive, and cognitively stimulating.

Child Physiological and Neural Healthpsychological state

The structural and functional integrity of a child's developing biological systems, particularly the brain and stress-response systems. Early experiences, especially chronic stress or enrichment, can become biologically embedded, shaping these systems.

Child Self-Regulation and Executive Functionpsychological state

The child's developing capacity to manage attention, emotions, and behavior in the service of achieving goals. This includes working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.

Child School Readinessoutcome metric

The multidimensional set of skills, behaviors, and knowledge that enable a child to successfully adapt to and learn within a formal school setting. It encompasses cognitive, language, social-emotional, and health characteristics.

Child Mental Healthoutcome metric

The child's socio-emotional well-being, defined by the presence of adaptive social competencies and the absence of significant internalizing (e.g., anxiety, depression) or externalizing (e.g., aggression, defiance) behavior problems.

Child Physical Healthoutcome metric

The child's overall physical well-being, including growth, presence or absence of chronic conditions, and general health status, which is influenced by factors from the prenatal period onward.

Life-Course Health and Productivityoutcome metric

Long-term indicators of adult success and well-being, reflecting the cumulative impact of early childhood experiences and development. Includes educational attainment, economic self-sufficiency, health, and civic engagement.

How they connect

supportive public policies → influences family economic and social resources
supportive public policies → influences ecec quality
supportive public policies → influences parenting and family support
socio contextual risk exposure − influences family economic and social resources
socio contextual risk exposure − influences child physiological and neural health
ecec quality → influences quality of proximal interactions
parenting and family support → influences quality of proximal interactions
parenting and family support → influences family economic and social resources
family economic and social resources → influences quality of proximal interactions
quality of proximal interactions → predicts child self regulation and executive function
quality of proximal interactions → predicts child school readiness
child self regulation and executive function → predicts child school readiness
child physiological and neural health → predicts child school readiness
child physiological and neural health → predicts child mental health
child physiological and neural health → predicts child physical health
child school readiness → predicts life course health and productivity
child mental health → predicts life course health and productivity
child physical health → predicts life course health and productivity

The story

The reader The reader is a researcher, practitioner, policymaker, or student dedicated to improving the lives of young children. They want to find effective, evidence-based strategies to support child development and reduce the pervasive disparities that begin in early life.

External problem

The landscape of early childhood programs, practices, and policies is fragmented, complex, and often driven by ideology rather than science, making it difficult to identify and implement what truly works.

Internal problem

The reader feels overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and frustrated by the persistent gap between research knowledge and real-world application. They are uncertain about how to make the most impactful investments of time and resources.

Philosophical problem

It is fundamentally wrong that a child's future is so heavily determined by the circumstances of their birth, and that society's efforts to help are not always guided by the best available evidence.

The plan

Gain a clear picture of the current state of young children in the United States, including their school readiness, health, and exposure to risk.
Understand the theoretical foundations and empirical standards of evidence-based practice in applied developmental science.
Review the evidence on major early childhood education and care models, from public preschool to classroom-based interventions.
Examine the impact of parenting, family, and dual-generation programs on children's development.
Analyze how broad public policies in areas like immigration, income support, and work-family balance shape children's lives.

Success

The reader becomes a more effective and confident agent of change, making evidence-informed decisions that improve developmental outcomes for children.
They contribute to narrowing achievement gaps and building a more equitable society where all children have the opportunity to thrive.
They foster stronger connections between science, practice, and policy, leading to more impactful societal investments in early childhood.

At stake

Valuable resources continue to be invested in ineffective or unproven programs, leaving the most vulnerable children behind.
The reader remains uncertain about which strategies to pursue, leading to missed opportunities for positive impact.
Pervasive disparities in child outcomes persist, undermining the social and economic future of the nation.

Questions this book answers

What are the most effective evidence-based programs, practices, and policies for promoting early childhood development?
How do socio-contextual factors like poverty, immigration status, and family structure impact child well-being?
What is the state of young children in the United States regarding school readiness, mental health, and physical health?
How can scientific knowledge on child development be effectively translated into large-scale programs and public policy?
What are the neurobiological and physiological mechanisms through which early adversity affects long-term development?

Glossary

Supportive Public Policies: The set of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and funding streams designed to support the well-being of children and families and the quality of early childhood systems. This includes policies related to income support, work-family balance, health care access, child welfare, immigration, and education.
ECEC Quality: The structural and process features of early care and education (ECEC) settings that promote children's holistic development, including the curriculum, physical environment, teacher qualifications, and the nature of teacher-child interactions.
Parenting and Family Support Programs: Formal interventions designed to enhance parenting skills, strengthen family functioning, and build parent human capital. This includes home visiting programs, family-school partnership initiatives, and two-generation models that provide services to both parents and children.
Socio-Contextual Risk Exposure: The accumulation of adverse social, economic, and environmental conditions in a child's life that threaten healthy development. This includes factors such as poverty, low parental education, neighborhood disadvantage, discrimination, family instability, and exposure to environmental toxins.
Family Economic and Social Resources: The financial, material, and social capital available within a family to invest in children's development and buffer against stress. This includes income, parental employment, food and housing security, and access to supportive social networks.
Quality of Proximal Interactions: The nature of direct, reciprocal exchanges between a child and the key adults in their immediate environment (microsystem), primarily parents and early childhood educators. High-quality interactions are warm, responsive, cognitively stimulating, and emotionally supportive.
Child Physiological and Neural Health: The structural and functional integrity of a child's developing biological systems, particularly the brain and stress-response systems, which are shaped by and reflect the biological embedding of early experience.
Child Self-Regulation and Executive Function: The child's developing capacity to manage attention, emotions, and behavior in the service of achieving goals. This includes core executive functions such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.