Resources for Parents and Families
| ECSE Acronyms | A list of commonly used acronyms in early childhood special education |
| Answers 4 Families | Nebraska’s Support and Information Connection for Families |
| Dept of Education: IDEA | The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. |
| Developmental Milestones | Every child is unique and differences in their rate of development can be expected. However, there are some guidelines to help parents and professionals determine how a child compares with others their age. |
| Evidence-Based Practices | |
| Family, Infant and Preschool Program | The Family, Infant, and Preschool Program (FIPP) is an early childhood and family support program working with women who are pregnant and children birth through five years of age and their families in western North Carolina. FIPP works in partnership with families using family-centered practices, based on respect for families’ beliefs and values, as well as their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. |
| IFSP Web | Everything about IFSPs |
| National Association for the Education of Young Children | Professional organization which promotes excellence in early childhood education |
| Nebraska Child Find | |
| Nebraska Dept of Education | Special Education Rules, Regulations and Legal Issues |
| Nebraska Dept of Health and Human Services | Search for Child Care Providers
Information provided includes:
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| Nebraska Early Development Network | The Nebraska Early Development Network provides services and supports that are designed based on the needs of children birth to age three and their families with the belief that parents know what is best for their families. The goal of the Early Development Network is to provide coordinated services for Nebraska families as conveniently as possible. The program helps families to understand their child’s disability and provides assistance in dealing with situations that interfere with the child’s development. |
| Nebraska Resource and Referral System | Statewide database allowing users to more easily locate and compare services of local and state agencies |
| Nebraska Verification Criteria | The verification process is the means for determining those children who are in need of EDN/special education services. This site will illustrate the various criteria that evaluation teams use when determining verification. |
| PTI Nebraska | PTI Nebraska is a statewide resource for families of children with disabilities or special health care needs, enabling parents to have the capacity to improve the education and healthcare outcomes for their children. |
| Siskin Children’s Institute | The Siskin Children’s Institute is a non-profit organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee that helps children with special needs, families and professionals through four centers: education, outreach, health care and research. |
| Step up to Quality Program Ratings |
Step up to Quality, Nebraska’s Quality Improvement Rating system is a programthat helps families identify early childhood providers who demonstrate a commitment to quality care. Step Up to Quality programs go beyond what is required because they strive to do better for their children’s and families’ futures.
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| Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children | TACSEI, the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes of young children with, or at risk for delays or disabilities, and creates free products and resources to help decision makers, caregivers, and services providers to provide these best practices in their work. |
| The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning | The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age five. CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country. |
| The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) | DEC mission is to promote policies and advance evidence-based practices to support the optimal development of young children with special needs. |
| The Early Childhood Outcomes Center | The Early Childhood Outcomes Center seeks to promote the development and implementation of child and family outcome measures for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. |
| Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center | Serves Part C-Infant and Toddlers with Disabilities Programs and Part B-Section 619 Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities in all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions to improve service systems and outcomes for children and families. |
| Building Better Brains | A short video on building a solid foundation for brain development, especially in the presence of toxic stress |
Cara Lucas-Richt
Director of Early Childhood
clucas2@lps.org
402-436-1995
