Two Emerging Strategies to Improve the Social and Emotional Development of Children in Child Care Centers

Overview:
The social and emotional development of young children is strongly linked to later success in school. Increasingly, child care providers struggle to meet the needs of children with challenging behaviors and/or mental health concerns. Two pilot programs will be tested to address this need: PreK Primary Project (PKPP) and Bridging Education and Mental Health (BEAM). PKPP’s main emphasis is working with individual children, and BEAM’s emphasis is on training/coaching child care providers.

PreK Primary Project:
Location: Being piloted in five Minneapolis child care centers
Target group: Children ages three to five who exhibit challenging behavior
Core intervention: One-on-one play sessions with highly trained Child Associates (CA)

How PKPP works:

1. Child care providers select children using a standard assessment tool
2. Selected children engage in a twelve-week series of one-on-one play sessions with the CA
3. CA helps children solve problems and communicate through child-led play
4. A trusting relationship grows between CA and child
5. This relationship supports the social and emotional development of the child
6. Over time, the child will be assisted in integrating their new skills back into the group setting.

Bridging Education and Mental Health:
Location: Being piloted in five Minneapolis child care centers
Target group: All child care center staff working with children ages three to five
Core intervention: Training and coaching for staff

How BEAM works:

1. Child care center staff take BEAM training course
2. Course content blends mental health and educational approaches to address:
   • What causes and sustains challenging behaviors
   • How to create environments that reduce challenging behavior
   • Practical research-based strategies for problem solving
3. Follow-up assistance is provided through bi-weekly coaching with BEAM Training Specialist
4. Through site visits and email communication, the BEAM Training Specialist supports child care staff in continuing to implement the BEAM model.

   
   BEAM and PKPP are funded by an FY04 federal Early Learning Opportunities Act Grant provided to the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board. The pilots will run in 2005 and 2006, with evaluation results available in late 2006. For more information, contact: Nara Topp, ELOA/YCB grant coordinator, 651-295-2475.

   
   Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board * 330 – 2nd Ave S, #540 * Minneapolis, MN 55401 * 612-673-2060