Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs

When parents have questions about their child's development, it's natural to wonder what comes next. In this episode of Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs, Britt Braun, preschool teacher and former state coordinator for preschool IDEA services, discusses how developmental screening can help families better understand their child's strengths and needs - ultimately connecting them to supports when appropriate. Through a compassionate and family-centered lens, Britt explains how screening is about gaining information, not assigning labels or intimidating parents, and how early support can help children thrive in preschool and beyond.

Britt Braun is an early childhood leader with extensive experience across classroom, state and national technical assistance roles. Her work focuses on strengthening systems to promote inclusive environments through supports such as developmental screening and fostering collaborative partnerships among families and educators. Her experience includes leading preschool and inclusive early childhood programs in District of Columbia and overseeing IDEA Part B preschool services at the Louisiana Department of Education.

What do babies need most to thrive? In this episode of Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs, Amber Morabito with the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) at WestEd shares how responsive caregiving and relationship-based practices create the foundation for supporting infants and toddlers and their families. Amber reflects on her pathway from early childhood provider to trainer and curriculum developer for the nationally recognized, evidence-based PITC curriculum.  She discusses why everyday interactions matter -not just with infants and toddlers but with their parents too - and how caregivers can partner with families when questions or concerns about a child's development emerge.

Amber Morabito is a Regional Coordinator for California Region I with the Program for Infant/Toddler Care/Partners for Quality Project. She provides training and technical assistance (TA) to service providers who care for infants and toddlers. Amber coordinates the delivery of services in her region and supervises a team of Infant-Toddler Specialists who in turn provide training and TA throughout the region. Amber also supports the PITC Demonstration Program at Santa Rosa Junior College Children's Center and family childcare affiliates, ensuring quality is maintained and demonstrated for the community.

Learn more about PITC at https://www.pitc.org and www.wested.org

What helps babies develop the foundation for lifelong learning and well-being?  In this episode of Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs, Lisa Terry an infant mental health specialist and leader in Virginia's early intervention service system, explores responsive relationships, family partnerships and how she embeds infant-early childhood mental health practices into her work with families and providers serving them.  

Lisa Terry provides support for the design and implementation of professional development activities for early interventionists.  She has worked in EI for over 15 years as an educator, service coordinator, and clinical supervisor. Lisa continues to provide direct services to families and hosts the podcast series: "Meaningful Moments." She is a certified trainer for the Growing Brain, a Zero to Three Curriculum and maintains endorsement as an Infant-Mental Health Mentor/Research-Faculty. Lisa is the co-facilitator for the Division of Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children nationally recognized infant mental health community of practice and an aRPy Ambassador. 

How do young children learn to manage emotions, build friendships and develop confidence? In this episode of Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs, Ashley MacNish shares her journey from working directly with young children and families to becoming a Pyramid Model coach and trainer. Ashley reflects on the experiences that shaped her career, the lessons she learned supporting educators, caregivers and parents, and why social and emotional development is such an important foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. 

Ashley is an educational consultant for Vanderbilt University.  She began her early childhood journey in Pennsylvania before moving to Tennessee. In her role for the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) and Pyramid Model Consortium, Ashley provides training and technical assistance to states and programs implementing the Pyramid Model in early intervention. She uses her expertise to support product development and training for coaching, early intervention and family engagement.

How do you know when a child's development is on track? In this episode of Growing Minds, Spotting the Signs, IDEA Part C coordinator and early intervention provider Leah Davidson discusses developmental milestones, screening and how to have supportive conversations with families. 

Leah Davidson has worked in state and local early intervention systems in Virginia and New Mexico.  Leah is a career early childhood professional committed to working on behalf of families with very young children to maximize joy, growth and human potential while the brain is most malleable. Leah began her career in Part C/Early Intervention in Virginia.  She worked as a Service Coordinator and then a Local System Manager in Arlington, VA for ten years before relocating to New Mexico where she has continued to support infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families across a spectrum of early childhood programs, services and initiatives.