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This edition of Research Connections News & Resources includes a message from the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) about the upcoming transition for Research Connections. This newsletter highlights new research on the following topics: changes in infant/toddler care; workforce turnover in early childhood education (ECE); resources that promote positive workforce engagement; and the effectiveness of voluntary summer learning programs. It also includes a literature review concerning the supply of family child care. This month’s “Critical Topic” focuses on childhood obesity. Additionally, there are several new opportunities highlighted.
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Since 2004, Research Connections has served as a hub for child care and early education research, providing a place for state, territory, Tribal, and community leaders and researchers to learn. From the beginning, the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan hosted, supported, and enhanced both the website and the library record system behind the public site.
As Research Connections moves into a new phase, OPRE shares sincere gratitude for ICPSR’s website support and dedication to making child care and early education research more accessible to the people who need it. Thank you to Susan Jekielek for her leadership, Ambyr Amen-Ra for her management, Daphne Lin for her technical support, Wendi Fornoff for her website support, and others, who currently or previously, served on the ICPSR team for their tremendous contributions throughout the years.
Directors of Research Connections at ICPSR from 2004 to present (listed successively):
Myron Gutman
George Alter
Susan Jekielek
What’s Next for Research Connections
Research Connections will continue to serve as a hub for child care and early education research under the leadership of ICF. Keep your eye out this month for the new website design giving you access to our extensive library of research publications (at the same URL— ResearchConnections.org).
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All of the resources in this section are available to the public for free.
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This month, Research Connections is highlighting research on health and wellness. Child care and early education programs play a key role in improving children’s health and wellness by providing access to healthy meals and physical activity. Note that readers may need to pay for some of the following journal articles.
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Researchers studied the associations between behavior problems and obesity in children attending Head Start. Authors of “Cross-Lagged Associations Between Behaviour Problems and Obesity in Head Start Preschoolers,” a Pediatric Obesity journal article, share the results of the research.
Explore more publications from Research Connections on physical and mental health and safety.
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Consultant to support the Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium. ICF seeks a part-time consultant to support activities related to the Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium. Learn more by emailing CCEEPRC@icf.com to request the position description. Applications are due June 25.
Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grants These cooperative agreements are intended for entities looking to strengthen and evaluate coordinated, client-centered approaches to improving family self-sufficiency. They provide support in planning for and execution of evaluation-related activities by eligible entities that serve low-income families with children. Learn more and apply at https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944 (Application due July 2).
Head Start University Partnership: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being. This grant program will support projects that will contribute to the knowledge base regarding the individual, program, and community factors that promote the well-being of Head Start and/or Early Head Start education staff (i.e., teachers and assistant teachers). Learn more and apply at https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-YR-1967 (Application due July 6).
African American Child and Family Research Center This grant program will lead and support research on the needs of African American populations served by ACF and promising approaches to promote social and economic well-being among low-income African American populations. Learn more and apply at https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PH-1916 (Applications due July 12).
Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Policies and Initiatives: Planning Grants (Phase I). This grant program will support partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies and researchers to develop rigorous, policy-relevant evaluations testing child care subsidy policies designed to increase low-income families’ access to high quality child care. Learn more at and apply at https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-YE-1901 (Application due July 20).
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