The New England Planning Committee representing the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine in collaboration with New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors and Casey Family Programs presented this summit on early development, science and child welfare.
The purpose of the summit was to provide an opportunity for state and program leaders to enhance knowledge about how early childhood trauma and neglect affect brain development in children from birth through five years, including the long term consequences on physical and mental health, and effective intervention, prevention, and systemic responses.
The summit also invited participants to collaborate on strategies to further integrate policy, practice and messaging across Child Welfare and Early Childhood systems and ensure these strategies are evidence-based. The outcome of this meeting will be a shared plan for each state that includes specific recommendations and actions (examples: training, program changes, evidence-based practices, cross-system collaboration) that can be implemented as part of an overall plan to strengthen families and young children.