Infant/Toddler Learning & Development: Program Guidelines

By: California Department of Education

Edited by: Faye Ong

More than half of California’s infants and toddlers receive care in child care centers, in family child care homes, and with relatives or neighbors outside the home. This publication, codeveloped by WestEd's Center for Child & Family Studies, presents information about how to provide high-quality early care and education, including recommendations for program policies and day-to-day practices that will improve program services to all infants and toddlers.

This resource contains essential information about early learning and development and provides a starting point for strengthening all programs that educate and care for infants and toddlers. The guidelines specifically address the concerns of program leaders, teachers, and family members and inform community organizations, policymakers, business leaders, and others interested in improving the care and education of California’s youngest children.

The guidelines emphasize the role of the family in early care and education, to the inclusion of children with disabilities or other special needs, and to collaboration between programs and families. Because high-quality programming cannot be attained without attention to these topics in all components of care, the topics are woven throughout the publication rather than treated separately. In addition, family child care and care by relatives are included in the main body of the guidelines and, when necessary for clarity, are addressed individually.

This publication is a companion to California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations.