The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) early education programs first began in 1996, as preschool teachers and childcare providers recognized that many at-risk children were struggling with social-emotional issues. In support of this need, CES was unique in offering Early Childhood consultants and coaches to those involved in early childhood education.
Dr. Joan E. Schuman, then Executive Director, says of that time: “No other Massachusetts Collaborative was doing anything in early childhood..We developed a phenomenal staff, many of whom had not only early childhood degrees, but also social work degrees. And I would say that CES led the state in providing training in early childhood mental health to early childhood providers across the state and even in parts of New England.”
CES was and is committed to the idea that the social-emotional development and wellness of children should be a core component of early education. In 2007, CES organized the Thinking Big About Little Learners Conference – where 130 people explored the need for a Massachusetts model for an early childhood mental health initiative. Early childhood mental health remains a cornerstone of the work of CES Early Childhood Department; and in 2016, the Early Childhood team organized the Starting Strong Summit, bringing together representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Children and Families, Early Education and Care, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Public Health to support all children in gaining the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
At the Summit, Dr. Bill Diehl, then Executive Director of CES, noted: “Massachusetts has made significant investments in improving support for young children to develop the social-emotional skills they need to thrive – and yet, many young children still fall through the cracks.”
Parents and families are critically important for the social-emotional strength of young children. Since the early days over 25 years ago, the CES Early Childhood Department has been doing the hands-on work of promoting community based early childhood programs and parent education that facilitates early literacy, school readiness and family stability. The Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grant has supported that work, and our CFCE implementation provides services for 17 different Western MA towns and communities. The Early Childhood team has also long been a grantee to provide Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation directly to Hampshire and Franklin County children and families.
The CES Early Childhood Department has made significant contributions to promoting high quality early childhood education practices, not only in our own region, but across the Commonwealth. From 2014 to 2019, CES teams managed three separate statewide projects that focused on improving early childhood best practices through professional development for early educators. The work included the Assessment for Responsive Teaching Project, the Social Emotional Learning and Approaches to Play and Learning Professional Development Project, and the QRIS Improvement Training and Technical Assistance on Developmental Screening. With each new project our skills and capacity for large-scale professional development and coaching grew. Other state funded projects include supporting Pyramid Model Implementation to promote young children’s social-emotional competence and positive behaviors in community based early education and care, family child care provider, and public school preschool programs.
After the devastating effects of the pandemic, the importance of resilience was outlined in sharp focus for both early educators and the children they served. Isolation had taken a deep toll. Through a grant from the Community Foundation of Western MA, Early Childhood Director Desirée Lalbeharie developed an institute that brought together educators from six communities in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties. The learning, coaching, and participant action plans centered on developmentally appropriate practices that address children’s social-emotional needs and learning as well as promoting equity through curriculum and nurturing an anti-bias classroom culture. Included in the Institute was the importance of early educator resilience and self-care. This holistic view of the work had a positive impact on participants, both personally and professionally; and became an important part of the Early Childhood’s approach moving forward.
Desirée Lalbeharie, Director of CES Early Childhood Department notes,
“It is critical to invest in young children’s early learning and development with a comprehensive approach that includes anti-bias practices, consideration and support for children’s families/caregivers, early educators and community at large because children do not exist in isolation and their learning and wellbeing is not limited to the classroom. We provide wonderful important services and continue to challenge ourselves to grow and evolve to ensure that we are being attentive and responsive to the needs of children and the diverse field of early childhood.”
Today, our Early Childhood team offers support statewide to educators and administrators in schools and districts as well as mixed delivery settings across the Commonwealth. We provide professional development, coaching, consultation, program design and evaluation, and curriculum design and implementation support, to help educators create programs that support children’s social-emotional wellbeing as the foundation of learning. The work continues to rest on our CES mission and values, our strong team of knowledgeable, expert and caring professionals, and our community partnerships.
