Healthy beginnings for all children
CHDI advances programs, policies, and strategies to foster the best start in life for young children. Our early childhood initiatives strive to integrate trauma-informed practices into settings where young children live, learn, and play.
Strengthening early childhood systems
CHDI has a long history of working to ensure that all children have a healthy start. By teaming with state agencies, providers, and other partners, we seek to strengthen and integrate the systems that serve young children and support child-serving professionals in understanding and supporting the behavioral health and trauma needs of young children and their families.
Strengthening the early childhood workforce
CHDI is supporting child-serving professionals in applying trauma-informed practices, addressing behavioral health needs, and promoting healthy development of young children and their families through training. Learn more about our current initiatives in this area:
Trauma ScreenTIME Early Childhood Course
This free, online course teaches early childhood professionals how to identify young children who have experienced trauma and connect those in need with effective services.
Trauma Sensitive Practices in Early Childhood
We are developing research-based training to guide early childhood professionals in implementing trauma-informed and healing practices.
Past Initiatives:
- Early Childhood Trauma Collaborative
- Adapting Gizmo's Pawsome Guide to Mental Health curriculum for young children
- Policy Development: Starting Early/Starting Now
- Infant Mental Health Competencies
- Maternal Depression
- Discovery Communities
Explore our resources and publications for helpful information and research related to early childhood: