Below you will find links to organizations that focus on strengthening the development and training of child care professionals. 
The following organizations present successful programs and offer information to support those who work directly with children.


Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)

The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) administers the major Federal programs that support social services that promote the positive growth and development of children and youth and their families; protective services and shelter for children and youth in at-risk situations; child care for working families and families on public assistance; and adoption for children with special needs.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

  • “Read Me a Story” Reading Checkup Guide
    Reading Is FundamentalÒ (RIFÒ) is the nation’s oldest and largest children’s literacy organization and the leader in motivating children to read.  RIF developed this Reading Checkup Guide in consultation with some of America’s leading educators and researchers. The guide is packed with practical advice about what parents and caregivers can do to nurture children’s emerging literacy skills and interest in reading.

Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA)

CIERA’s mission is to improve the reading achievement of America’s youth by generating and disseminating theoretical, empirical, and practical solutions to the learning and teaching of beginning reading.

  • Library
    The Library contains an instructional resources section, a report series section, an archive section, a presentations section, and a products section.
  • Links
    Many educators find that our Links page is a very valuable resource, returning again and again for the latest updates. We continue to add new links all the time, and welcome your recommendations. Come back often for a comprehensive listing of up-to-date links to literacy and education resources on the net.
  • Forum
    Discuss today's important issues with other supporters of opportunities for literacy development for America's children.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  • Growth Charts
    Pediatric growth charts have been used by pediatricians, nurses, and parents to track the growth of infants, children, and adolescents in the United States since 1977. The 1977 growth charts were developed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) as a clinical tool for health professionals to determine if the growth of a child is adequate.

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Childhood Development

  • Reading Pathfinder
    We have used questions asked by parents, educators, caregivers, administrators, policy makers, community members and reading experts to organize resources on this Website. Our goal is to make easily accessible the best available information on how to help children become competent readers by about third grade.  The Reading Pathfinder is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). 

Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused programs and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.

  • Early Head Start National Resource Center
    The Early Head Start National Resource Center, operated by ZERO TO THREE in collaboration with WestEd, is responsible for coordinating the provision of and training and technical assistance to the more than 400 Early Head Start Programs across the country.  Resource Center staff work in concert with several regionally-based organizations to offer assistance in a variety of areas, including: child development, family development, community building, staff development, program administration and management. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

  • Early Years Are Learning Years: Make Them Count!
    A series of one-page, focused articles on topics that help parents and early childhood professionals make the critical early years the best that they can be for all children.
  • Professional Development
    Dedicated to sustaining excellence and supporting innovation in early care and education. To do this, the Division's work focuses on the improvement of professional preparation and training for individuals who care for and educate children, birth through age eight.
  • Resources in Spanish
    For easy access to NAEYC resources in Spanish...
  • Young Children International
    NAEYC introduces this section on our web site as a way to use technology to encourage information exchange and networking with and among our international colleagues.

National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)

  • Learning Options
    A virtual campus for the learning and training of child care professionals and related fields at all stages of their careers.  It presents an opportunity to offer proven and recognized content in a highly interactive delivery method to a wide audience of child care professionals and parents.
  • Policy Symposium
    Annual Policy Symposium
  • QualKids
    NACCRRA and Qual Kids, Inc. have signed a cooperation agreement which will support the goal of enabling child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies to provide locally-maintained child care information on the Internet and increase parental choice and access for all families to information on quality child care.

National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC)

A national resource that links information and people to complement, enhance, and promote the child care delivery system, working to ensure that all children and families have access to high-quality comprehensive services.  Part of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Childhood Development (ERIC/EECE).

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

  • Reading Research at the NICHD
    Contains reading research resources: a report of the National Reading Panel, and Child Development and Behavior Branch reading research resources.
  • Child Development and Behavior Branch (CDB)
    The Child Development and Behavior Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, supports research on psychological, psychobiological, and educational development from conception to maturity. The branch focuses on the following program areas:
  • Human Learning and Learning Disabilities
    This program has a special interest in developing and supporting research and training initiatives to increase knowledge relevant to normal and atypical development of reading, written language, and mathematics abilities throughout the life span and the development of prevention, remediation, and instructional approaches and methods to ensure robust development of reading, written language and mathematics skills at different stages of development.
  • Language, Bilingual and Biliteracy Development and Disorders
    This research program has a special interest in research to increase knowledge of language development and disorders, second language acquisition, and written language development and disorders in bilingual/multilingual children. The program also supports training in the study of these areas.
  • Early Learning And School Readiness
    This program supports research that will specify the experiences children need from birth to age eight to prepare them to learn, read, and succeed in school. In addition, the program seeks to identify early interactions with adults and peers, the early childhood education teaching methods and curricula, and comprehensive early childhood interventions that support learning and development, specifically in domains that prepare children from diverse backgrounds for kindergarten and the early grades.

National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education

  • National Center for Early Childhood Development and Learning
    A national early childhood research project sponsored by the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Research and Improvement.  NCEDL focuses on enhancing the cognitive, social, & emotional development of children from birth through age eight.
  • Sponsored Projects Program
    Targeted research efforts of immediate need that cut across the interests of one or more Institutes within the US Department of Education or other Federal agencies.

National Network for Child Care (NNCC)

NNCC unites the expertise of many of the nation's leading universities through the outreach system of Cooperative Extension. Our goal is to share knowledge about children and child care from the vast resources of the land grant universities with parents, professionals, practitioners, and the general public. We network with committed individuals around the country to bring you practical information and resources that will be useful to you in your everyday work with children.

  • Information Station
    An Internet source of over 1000 publications and resources related to child care. Publications are research-based and reviewed…articles, resources, and links.
  • kidcare
    An e-mail listserve - providing a way to communicate nationally and internationally with others who care about children and child care.
  • Connections Newsletter
    National Network for Child Care publishes three newsletter series, issued four times a year, for family child care, center-based care, and school-age child care.

Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)

SRCD is a multidisciplinary, not-for-profit, professional association with an international membership of approximately 5,000 researchers, practitioners, and human development professionals from over 50 countries.  The purposes of the Society are to promote multidisciplinary research in the field of human development, to foster the exchange of information among scientists and other professionals of various disciplines, and to encourage applications of research findings.

The Children's Literature Web Guide

The Children's Literature Web Guide is an attempt to gather together and categorize the growing number of Internet resources related to books for Children and Young Adults.

Zero to Three

  • Early Head Start National Resource Center
    Responsible for coordinating the provision of and training and technical assistance to the more than 400 Early Head Start Programs across the country.  Resource Center staff work in concert with several regionally-based organizations to offer assistance in a variety of areas, including: child development, family development, community building, staff development, program administration and management.
  • Quality Infant and Toddler Child Care
    Zero to Three developed Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Groups: Developmentally Appropriate Practice for caregivers with these special considerations in mind. It provides invaluable guidelines for appropriate caregiving practices in dealing with this young population.
  • BrainWonders
    Special site about how the brain develops, within the context of relationships, from conception through three years of age.  Special sections developed especially for parents, caregivers, and pediatric and family clinicians.
  • Leaders for the 21st Century
    Was established in 1998 to develop dynamic leaders who are part of a strong, multi-disciplinary network of infant and family professionals dedicated to infants, toddlers, and their families. Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Irving B. Harris, a Chicago Philanthropist, this initiative enrolls fifteen seasoned and fifteen emerging professionals every two years.  Fellows gain leadership skills, develop collaborative relationships, and further develop their multidisciplinary perspectives.
  • Pediatric Practice Project
    This ground-breaking pilot program which took place from 1995-1997, placed Developmental Specialists in two pediatric practices in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area as members of the medical team to address a wide range of issues about which parents have questions.  As a result of the project, a great deal has been learned about how current models of pediatric practice can be modified to better serve the needs of families.