The idea for this manual came about through discussions among representatives of the Children First Initiative (CFI) communities at a Graustein Memorial Fund retreat in 1998. The CFI communities include Danbury, Hartford, Meriden, Middletown, New London, Norwich, and Windham. Conversations about the sharing of information among these cities and others continued after the retreat. The idea was born to create a manual on successful strategies that had worked within their communities. A wealth of collective experience and information is included here, to be shared with other communities that are working to improve the lives of young children.

Other communities developing early childhood agendas have already inquired about strategies tried and proven. This data will help CFI communities and others 1) fill in gaps in services without "re-inventing the wheel," 2) refine strategies currently in use, and 3) avoid investing time and resources in ineffective or problematic approaches. The manual provides a step-by-step guide to replicating successful programs and also addresses the challenges faced in implementation.

The manual begins with background information on the Children First Initiative. CFI was the brainstorm of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, whose mission is "to improve the effectiveness of education in fostering both personal development and leadership." To further this mission, the Memorial Fund supports community engagement and parent involvement strategies. CFI communities strive to engage parents, early childhood educators, childcare providers, school administrators, local businesses, social service agencies, state and local government, and policy makers. This community-wide engagement makes cities stronger for children and families.

The intent of this manual is to provide the reader ideas, methods, and background information on strategies that have been successful in promoting children's readiness to learn and early school success in the seven Children First Initiative communities. Programs are grouped together in the areas of:

No two communities are identical, but this provides a starting point for others who are interested in initiating or strengthening programs in their communities that support these areas. Contacts are available and are willing to provide support and consultation to communities developing similar programs.

The manual also includes information on each individual CFI community: demographics, key players in the community, political climate, CFI organizational information, and collaboration efforts. Other communities can use this information as a point of reference for their own planning processes.