THE CHILD MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATIONS and AGENCIES NETWORK

Recognizing that what, how, and how much children learn in school depends in large part on the social and emotional competence they developed as preschoolers, this monograph examines the current state of research regarding the social and emotional risk and protective factors that predict early school problems or success. The first part of the monograph describes the components of social and emotional school readiness. Risk and protective factors are examined, and the impact of interventions to address neurodevelopmental delay, impaired attachment relationships, maltreatment, and disadvantaged socioeconomic status is described. This part also notes that some of the causal risk factors for early school failure have been identified, and that current knowledge can be used to systematically design and implement intervention. The part maintains that interventions need to address multiple levels and should address causal and malleable risk factors for early school failure. The second part of the monograph summarizes selected federal policies that may improve children's chances of success and analyzes existing links between current research and policy. This part argues that existing policies are not fully implemented, that new policies place additional burdens on already overburdened systems, and that more leaders are needed to champion the development of a seamless, comprehensive system of early childhood care. The monograph's appendix lists risk and protective factors at the individual, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels as identified in research literature. (KB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.