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Yesterday, I finished teaching two 42-hour courses on Infant and Toddler development to future Early Childhood Educators. I “saved” social-emotional development until the end, which proved to be a good decision, because it provided me the opportunity to read the recently published “Enhancing Infant-Toddler Adjustment during Transitions to Care” (Fernandez & Marfo, 2005).

These authors emphasize the importance of planning and evaluating the adjustment of young children entering child care settings as well as their responses to transitions within care. Out of concern for transitional disorders, Fernandez and Marfo (2005) developed E-CARE (Early Care Adjustment Rating by Educators), a tool to help child care teachers recognize early adjustment difficulties. The students in my classes found the information to be a helpful supplement to their conceptual understanding of separation protest and anxiety.

Unlike David Bowie's ripples that grow outward and stay put, children's growth and development results in a series of changes, each involving transition and adjustment. E-CARE encourages child care teachers to consider what transitional difficulties look like in the child's life, including separation and reunion times, self-regulation skills, and adaptation to daily routines. When development may be compromised by transitional difficulties, the creators of E-CARE suggest guidelines in making a plan of action that includes contributions from the Center Manager, child care teachers, and the child's parents.

As a parent of three-year-old reluctant transitioner, I have a few suggestions that may support successful transitions other young children.

• Have a child care teacher or assistant transition with a group of children. This practice provides continuity in the care of young children. It's important to the child; it's also important to the parent as they develop trusting relationships with new teachers in their child's life.

• Have children transition together. Young children develop important friendships that they can rely on when faced with the challenges of transitions.

• Urge parents to say good-bye once their child is engaged with others. Children are much more likely to say “Go to work, Mommy” when building a space station with their friends.

M. T. Fernandez & K. Marfo. (2005). "Enhancing infant-toddler adjustment during transitions to care." Zero-to-Three, 26, 41-48.

Interested individuals can learn more about E-CARE by visiting www.coedu.usf.edu/main/auxiliary/crcdl/crcdl.html.

Contributed by Laurie McNellis

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