The COVID-19 pandemic has swiftly and substantially affected the social and emotional health of children, especially those experiencing multiple hardships. As the pandemic has spread across the United States, many children are experiencing widespread disruptions in daily life. Young children are reacting to stress as their parent and caregiver routines change. Children may have strong feelings of fear, worry, sadness, and anger about the pandemic and related issues that impact behavior at home and in child care.

To address these issues, the Office of Child Care (OCC) has a new initiative to further integrate social and emotional support strategies in child care’s mixed delivery system. A Resource Guide for Developing Integrated Strategies to Support the Social and Emotional Wellness of Children highlights promising strategies and provides information about how some CCDF grantees have already leveraged partnerships and funding to support implementation success.

This Resource Guide highlights promising strategies and provides information about how some Child Care and Development Fund grantees have already leveraged partnerships and funding to support implementation success.

Topics include the following:

• Benefits of Integrating Strategies to Support the Social and Emotional Wellness of Children, Families, and Providers;
• Implementation Considerations;
• Social and Emotional Wellness Initiatives and Delivery Strategies;
• The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children;
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC);
• Relationship-Based Care for Infants and Toddlers: A Training for Trainers Professional Development Strategy;
• Social and Emotional Wellness Strategies for School-Age Children;
• Integrating Social—Emotional Supports as Part of the Child Care and Development Fund Quality Activities;
• Examples of Social and Emotional Development in State QRIS Standards;
• Landscape of States’ Pyramid Model Implementation;
• Landscape of IECMHC Consultation Implementation;
• Social and Emotional Wellness Resources; and
• Federal Technical Assistance.

As you begin to plan and implement how we can best return to our “new-better normal,” we hope this guide will be a helpful tool for you and your programs.