ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book summarizes the development of the Program for Infant and Toddler Care Program Assessment Rating Scale as a valid and reliable tool for assessing key features of quality infant/toddler settings. It examines the power of interactions and communications among infants, mothers, and caregivers to facilitate the transition to the child care setting. The book highlights the importance of strong family—child care communication for successful implementation of continuity of care, an approach in which children and their families stay with the same teaching team for several years in infant/toddler group care. It describes caregiver—child interactions as well as child social competence outcomes in continuity of care and non—continuity of care community-based child care centers. The book offers the possibility of hope for higher quality interactions when a highly skilled professional is in the classroom.
