Week of the Young Child Talking Points The following information can be used to communicate with chapter or community members, business and community leaders, schools, and child care facilities about Week of the Young Child.

What is Week of the Young Child? Week of the Young Child is an annual, nationwide celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC*).  All around the Hoosier state, Week of the Young Child (and Month of the Young Child) activities are organized by Chapter members of the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (Indiana AEYC).  As the state affiliate of NAEYC, Indiana AEYC has 18 chapters with more than 1,700 independent members who are working to improve the lives of young children and those who care for and educate them.  The mission of Indiana AEYC is to promote and support quality care and education for all young children, birth through age eight, in Indiana. *NAEYC is the world's largest early childhood education association, with nearly 100,000 members and a network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates. NAEYC first established Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life.

When is Week of the Young Child? Week of the Young Child will be celebrated April 11 - 17, 2010.  Many communities celebrate Month of the Young Child throughout April. *Themes for 2010 have yet to be determined.

Why celebrate Week of the Young Child? The purpose of Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we --as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation-- will better meet the needs of all young children and their families. Week of the Young Child serves as a time to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every child experiences the type of early environment --at home, at child care, at school, and in the community-- that will promote learning.

How can my community participate? There are many ways to communicate the Week of the Young Child theme.  Events may be planned by individual programs or may be the result of collaboration with other community partners. The following suggested activities focus on building public awareness, promoting and supporting early childhood issues through public policy, helping children learn to read and write, preventing violence, and promoting child health. Public Awareness – Communicate with local media about the Week of the Young Child events that your local Indiana AEYC chapter has helped to organize.  Include the who, what, when, where, why, and how (sponsorship, for example) of the event or activity. Public Policy – Ask the mayor or town council to issue a proclamation recognizing Week of the Young Child.  Ask other community members to do the same. Literacy – Post children’s artwork and writings around local libraries, city-county buildings, and local businesses. Violence Prevention – Organize a community-wide candlelight vigil or moment of silence to recognize the victims of child abuse or neglect. Child Health – Look to your local hospital or health agency to help organize community health fairs that include health screenings and immunizations.  Ask local radio stations (even high school radio stations) to play a public service announcement about the event.