FAQ
SEEDS stands for Strategies for Enhancing Early Developmental Success.
SEEDS focuses on enhancing children’s school readiness and self-regulation skills because such skills are predictive of mental health, physical health, and school outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence. Additionally, school readiness and self-regulation skills are often compromised in children who have experienced early adversities. Fortunately, these skills can be improved through caregiving and instructional practices, environmental supports, and enriched learning opportunities.
Yes! SEEDS programs are designed to address the needs of young children who have experienced trauma and other early adversities. In addition, because we emphasize skills that can be utilized with all children, SEEDS programs are also highly relevant as a universal prevention approach in any early childhood setting. SEEDS programs focus on practices that can be used when directly interacting with young children, coaching or supporting parents/caregivers, or providing consultation to other providers.
SEEDS professional development programs are designed for professionals and paraprofessionals who support young children, including educators, preschool directors, child care providers, clinicians/therapists, nurses, administrators, speech-language pathologists, and supervisors.
SEEDS parent and caregiver programs are designed for all different types of caregiving relationships, including moms, dads, grandparents, stepparents, older siblings, aunts, and uncles. Birth parents, resource families, and kinship caregivers have all participated in SEEDS programs and caregivers are welcome to participate regardless of whether or not their child currently resides in their home. SEEDS encourages the participation of multiple caregivers from the same family, if possible.
SEEDS professional development programs and SEEDS parent/caregiver programs are coordinated trauma-informed, resilience-promoting trainings. SEEDS equips providers and families to use a common language and a shared set of skills so they can work collaboratively to foster well-being and key school readiness skills in young children.
By utilizing nature-based exploration and other hands-on activities, SEEDS programs are accessible to people of diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds. Playing together is also a highly effective way to break down barriers and build connections among individuals from different backgrounds and life experiences.
Yes! We offer Facilitator Training so that early childhood professionals can become certified to bring SEEDS programs to community-based agencies. Professionals first need to complete SEEDS PD or Sprouts PD to enroll in Facilitator Training.
Yes, the Sprouts PD curriculum, including facilitator resources and participant materials are available in English, Spanish, and Korean.
For more SEEDS, visit learn.wellbeing4LA.org (search “SEEDS”) or email us at SEEDS@mednet.ucla.edu.