Text Box: Maine links and resources: Born to Read Maine Humanities Council: Born to Read, Maine's statewide early literacy program, was created in 1997 to ensure that Maine's youngest children, ages 0-5, are read aloud to daily and begin school excited about books and ready to learn. Research shows that no single activity is more important to a child's success in school and in lifelong learning than being read to regularly by a caring adult in the first five years of life. Child Care Connections: Child Care Connections is the Child Care Resource Development Center for Cumberland County, Maine. We are a community service organization that works with parents, child care providers, businesses, and community organizations to help promote the availability of quality child care services in Cumberland County. Children's Museum of Maine: Located in the Arts District of downtown Portland, the Children's Museum of Maine features a wide variety of interactive exhibits and activities for children and families! Maine Discovery Museum: With seven major interactive exhibit areas on three floors, Maine Discovery Museum is the largest children's museum north of Boston. Located in the historic Freese's building in downtown Bangor, MDM is just an hour's drive from Acadia National Park. Maine Division for Early Childhood: The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is a national, non-profit membership organization designed for individuals who work with, or on behalf of, children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. Founded in 1973, DEC is dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of children. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and are at risk of future developmental problems. Maine's Resource and Development Centers (RDC's): The mission of MRDC Inc. is, to provide statewide leadership, vision and support in promoting the availability, the affordability and the quality of child care in Maine Communities. Maine Roads to Quality: The Mission of the Center is to: promote the quality of child care and early education; address the training and education needs of all child care and early education professionals; develop multiple ways for professionals to achieve their career goals; increase linkages between training and formal education; recognize and reward professionalism monitor the effectiveness of the career development system; and collaborate with and unite partners to achieve the above. University of Maine's Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies TipSheets: A resource where "Growing Ideas Tipsheets" are available for download on a variety of topics related to early care and education. Maine Children's Alliance: The mission of the Maine Children's Alliance is to advocate for sound public policies to improve the lives of all Maine’s Children, Youth and Families. Maine Child Care Director's Association: Maine Child Care Directors Association is committed to maintaining and expanding a high quality, accessible, and affordable child care system in Maine that is equally responsive to the needs of children, families and providers. Of special concern are the needs of children at risk and those who live in poverty. National Organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics: This is "an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Whether you’re looking for general information related to child health or for more specific guidelines concerning a pediatric issue, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find information regarding the Academy’s many programs and activities…our policy statements and practice guidelines…our publications and other child health resources…and much, much more. Best of all, you can rest assured that the information comes from the nation’s leading child health experts and that we have scientific research supporting our recommendations." Birth to Five Policy Alliance: The Birth to Five Policy Alliance was established in 2005 to help shift the odds for very young children at risk.  The Alliance focuses on policies and investments in the first five years before children enter kindergarten. It is the first site in the country dedicated to providing a one-stop shop for information. You will find: 50-state information on the activities by legislatures, governors and communities. State policy profiles. State-by-state date that provides a roadmap for action and information about the status of state policy. Key research plus ideas, options and best practices policymakers can use. Specific tools geared to the needs of business and community leaders. Division for Early Childhood: The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is a national, non-profit membership organization designed for individuals who work with, or on behalf of, children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. Founded in 1973, DEC is dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of children. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and are at risk of future developmental problems." National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high performing and inclusive organization. Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 100,000 members, a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations. Membership is open to all individuals who share a desire to serve and act on behalf of the needs and rights of all young children. National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): NAFCC is dedicated to advocating for the family child care profession by collaborating with other local, state, and national organizations who contribute to the family child care field to increase awareness about and improve the quality of family child care. National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC): The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), a service of the Child Care Bureau, is a national clearinghouse and technical assistance center that links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to early care and education information. National Head Start Association (NHSA): The National Head Start Association is a private not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,700 Head Start programs in the United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families; by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff; and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery. National Women's Law Center: Our mission is to protect and advance the progress of women and girls at work, in school, and in virtually every aspect of their lives. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care: The National Resource Center’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Care site has practical information on topics such as handwashing, diapering, cleaning and sanitizing, food preparation, and immunizations. National School-Age Child Care Alliance (NSACA): Our Mission: To be the leading voice of the after school profession dedicated to the development, education, and care of children and youth during their out-of-school hours. Playing for Keeps: Playing for keeps is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving outcomes and the quality of life for all children by promoting healthy, constructive play. Zero to Three: The nations leading resource on the first years of life.