Early Childhood Initiatives
Why Early Childhood Matters
The first few years of a child’s life sets the course for how that child will grow, learn, develop relationships, and prepare for school. Every experience and opportunity during these initial years are crucial to setting a strong foundation for a healthy future. At ICAAP, we are committed to supporting all pediatric healthcare providers with early childhood resources and guidance to ensure all children in Illinois receive well-rounded care.
By leveraging existing early childhood programs, resources and interventions, we can help improve outcomes for all children.
Early Childhood Resources for Clinicians
AAP Coding Fact Sheet for Early Childhood Social-Emotional Development Billing and Coding
A resource for Early Childhood Social-Emotional Development Billing and Coding from the AAP that details billing and diagnosis codes recommended for use by pediatricians, family medicine, integrated mental health professionals, and other specialists who work with children ages 0-5, followed by case examples of social-emotional development coding in practice.
Additional Resources from the AAP
Explore dedicated professional resources covering a wide range of early childhood topics like:
- Early Childhood Health & Development
- Early Relational Health
- Council on Early Childhood Guidance
- Learn the Signs. Act Early. (LTSAE)
- Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems (ECDHS)
- Safe Babies
- Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN)
AAP’s Council on Early Childhood Policy Statements
The Council develops policy statements, clinical reports and technical guidelines to improve the health of all children including:
- Addressing Early Education and Child Care Expulsion (published 2023)
- Quality Early Education and Child Care (published in 2017)
- The Pediatrician's Role in Family Support and Family Support Programs (reaffirmed in 2017)
- The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness (published in 2016)
- Addressing Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems (published in 2016)
- Technical Report: Addressing Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems (published in 2016)
- School Readiness (revised 2019)
- Clinical Report: Selecting Appropriate Toys (revised in 2019)
- Literacy Promotion: an Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice
- Parental Leave for Residents and Pediatric Trainee Programs
Bright Futures Early Childhood Tools
- Pre-visit Questionnaires: Help determine what the family would like to discuss during the health supervision visit, initiate recommended medical screening with integrated risk assessment questions, obtain developmental surveillance information, and identify topics for anticipatory guidance discussion.
- Visit Documentation Forms: Resources to document activities during a typical health supervision visit, simplify proper coding, and help secure appropriate payment for each visit's activities.
- Parent/Patient Educational Handouts: Help guide anticipatory guidance and reinforce key messages (organized around the 5 priorities in each visit) for the family.
Early Childhood Development and Screen Time Toolkit
Early childhood is the time to start laying the ground work for what a healthy relationship with media looks like.
Early Literacy Toolkit
Clinicians and caregivers play an essential role in promoting early literacy.
Programs & Resources
to Build Your Skills and Capacity
Get key information, learn more about referrals and programs, and share important resources with your patient families with little ones from infancy through five years of age.
Breastfeeding Resources & Guidance
Human milk provides recognized health benefits for the lactating parent and their child. Infants that are formula fed are at risk for increased incidence of numerous infectious childhood diseases, SIDS, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and childhood obesity. Breastfeeding/chestfeeding reduces the incidence of postpartum bleeding, breast and ovarian cancer, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Topics & Resources Include:
- Chest/Breastfeeding Resources for Parents
- “We Can!” Strategies to Achieve Health Equity in Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Promotion & Support CME Series
- Illinois Breastfeeding Projects & Reports
Early Intervention
Early Intervention in Illinois is a statewide program providing support and services to families to help their children under age 3 meet developmental milestones. These services are available to babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Properly leveraging early childhood intervention program can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to learn new skills and overcome challenges while increasing their likelihood of academic and general success.
Topics & Resources Include:
- Primary Referral Resources
- Early Identification of Developmental Delay & Disability Resources
- Child & Family Connection Offices
- Filing Early Intervention Complains
- Resources for Families
Reach Out and Read
Guided by the ICAAP team, Reach Out & Read Illinois (ROR) helps prepare low-income children and their families for kindergarten by:
- Finding new ways to incorporate books into pediatric visits from six months to five years
- Connecting families to neighborhood resources
- Encouraging families to read together
Reach Out & Read Illinois builds on the existing relationship between parents and healthcare providers by providing resources and activities that can be shared during well-visits to help keep children on track.
Topics & Resources Include:
- How to Bring ROR to Your Clinic
- Shared Reading Strategies
- Ways to Improve School Readiness
Leveraging Early Childhood Collaboratives to Improve Care
Early Childhood Collaboratives are groups of dedicated community members and leaders who work together to improve outcomes for children and families.
Collaboratives may work to improve access to:
- Early childhood screenings
- Early intervention & home visiting programs
- Vaccinations
- Well-child visits
- Mental health services
- Family engagement & education
- Community resources
What's Happening in Illinois
Early Relational Health Summit
On March 5, 2026, ICAAP hosted the first-ever Early Relational Health Summit in partnership with ICAAP’s Reach Out and Read program, bringing together a varied yet interconnected group of Illinois stakeholders dedicated to child development.
The summit, titled The Power of Connection: Supporting Relational Health in Early Childhood, offered a full day of in-person CME programming at Northern Illinois University in Naperville, drawing more than 200 attendees from a variety of early childhood sectors and professions.
An artist from Ink Factory captured content in real time. Click the images below to view the drawings, which continue to serve as springboards for discussion and future planning.
Illinois Forms New Early Childhood Agency
On June 25, 2024, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Department of Early Childhood Act, which called for a new state agency: the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC).
This move represents an effort to consolidate programs previously spread across multiple state agencies, streamlining the early care system, reducing administrative burdens, and better serving families and young children throughout Illinois. The new department will officially launch on July 1, 2026.