The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is seeking information about existing programs, initiatives, practices, and approaches that support early relational health (ERH) for infants, young children (ages 0-5 years), families, and communities. Early relational health is the dynamic process of nurturing, responsive, and mutually affirming relationships between young children and the parents, caregivers, family members, and other important people in their lives.
We are particularly interested in learning about efforts that may not be readily identifiable through the published literature or that may use terminology other than “early relational health.” These may include programs operating across prenatal care, early care and education, family support (e.g., social and/or economic supports), public health, health care, child welfare, community, cultural, or other settings, as well as efforts that address the broader conditions that enable children and caregivers to develop and sustain nurturing, responsive relationships.
We welcome information about established programs as well as emerging, locally developed, culturally specific, or community-driven approaches. Respondents do not need to demonstrate that a program has been formally evaluated to submit information; we are interested in learning about the range of approaches currently being implemented, what they seek to accomplish, whom they serve, and what can be learned from their implementation and experience. Please note that the word limit for each question is 500 words.
Reminder: We are specifically interested in identifying programs, initiatives, practices, or community-based approaches that the National Academies may be unlikely to identify through a conventional search of the published literature. This might include approaches that use different terminology, are locally or culturally specific, have not been formally evaluated, or are embedded within programs whose primary focus is something other than ERH.
Please note that all responses will be added to the National Academies public access file; however respondent contact information will not be revealed.