Guided NotesAdvocacy ResearchAs you have been learning.docx

Guided Notes
Advocacy Research
As you have been learning, research is an essential tool for
advocates. The following list provides an overview of research
available at the sites presented within your Sub-Competency
resources. As you review this information, consider how it
relates to Part 1 of your Work Product.
Annie E. Casey Foundation
The data center of the Annie E. Casey Foundation allows
advocates to search for information within their individual
state. As well, advocates can search for data on a variety of
different topics, including demographics; economic well-being;
education; family and community; health; and safety in risky
behaviors. The site includes a variety of publications, including
The 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Trends in Child Well-
Being.
References:
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2014a). KIDS COUNT data center:
Choose a state. Retrieved from
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/locations
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2014b). KIDS COUNT data center:
Data topics. Retrieved from
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/topics
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2014c). The 2014 KIDS COUNT
data book: State trends in child well-being (25th ed.).
Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.aecf.org/resources/the-2014-kids-count-data-book/
Children’s Defense Fund

The Children's Defense Fund provides a variety of data
resources on children within the states. These resources include
compilations of data on gun violence, kindergarten, and
poverty. As well, the site provides a report on The State of
America's Children: 2014.
References:
Children’s Defense Fund. (2012). U.S. child state data.
Retrieved from http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-
data-publications/us-state-child-data.html
Children’s Defense Fund. (2014). The state of America’s
children: 2014. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.childrensdefense.org/zz-testing/2014-
refresh/library/state-of-americas-children/2014-soac.html
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
The CWLA provides an overview of advocacy facts available
state-by-state. Topics include child abuse and neglect (adoption,
kinship care, and permanent families for children); child
poverty and income support; childcare and Head Start; health
and substance abuse; vulnerable youth; child welfare workforce;
and funding the child welfare workforce.
Reference:
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). (2013). National
and state facts. Retrieved from http://www.cwla.org/our-
work/advocacy/
National Center for Children in Poverty
The data tools of the National Center for Children in Poverty
include a basic needs budget calculator; a young child's risk
calculator; a family resource simulator; a demographic wizard
that creates data on child poverty; an income converter; and a
state-by-state policy tracker.
Reference:
National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP). (2014). Data
tools. Retrieved from http://www.nccp.org/tools/
©2014 Walden University 2

Guided Notes
You were introduced to several professional organizations in
this Sub-Competency that work on behalf of young children and
their families. The table below provides you with an overview
of the purpose of each professional organization and a brief
description of their activities.
Organization Name
Organization Purpose
Brief Description of Advocacy Activities
Association for Childhood Education International
http://www.acei.org/
This organization is dedicated to promoting the optimal
education and development of children in a changing world.
The organization is committed to social change through
activities that include the provision of research and statistics,
professional development, and advocacy information.
Division for Early Childhood (DEC)
http://www.dec-sped.org/
Supporting professionals, the DEC is dedicated to promoting
policies and evidence-based practices that support families and
enhance the optimal development of children.
Provides information on policy and advocacy issues influencing
young children with special needs and their families. Strongly
influences evidence-based practices and professional practice
within the field through the development of strategies and
related policy.
International Reading Association
http://www.reading.org/
This nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions is

committed to worldwide literacy.
This organization connects professionals with resources,
advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development
activities related to supporting literacy.
National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC)
http://www.naeyc.org/
This organization is the largest early childhood organization
that works on behalf of young children and practitioners.
In addition to professional development and outreach, the
organization focuses on public policy.
National Black Child Development Institute
http://www.nbcdi.org/
This organization is dedicated to engaging leaders,
policymakers, professionals, and parents around critical and
timely issues that directly impact Black children and their
families.
Activities include programs, publications, advocacy, and
trainings related to early childhood care and education; K-12
education; health and wellness; literacy; family engagement;
and child welfare.
Guided Notes
Developing Initiatives
Developing advocacy initiatives begins with getting involved.

One of the most important things you can do as an early
childhood professional is to join professional organizations.
These organizations can serve as a forum to meet with others
and exchange ideas, as well as provide an opportunity to
connect with others on issues that are important to you. As well,
professional organizations provide opportunities to potentially
serve in leadership positions and participate in campaigns
designed around important advocacy issues.
Early childhood professionals can also provide an important
voice through serving as a community resource in a variety of
different capacities. Sharing your voice as a professional
throughout the community through planning, contributing to
public forums, and advocacy is an important way to connect.
Community advocacy also includes connecting within the
private sector, where organizations can work to develop family-
friendly policies and support access to high-quality early
childhood education services for all families.
Initiatives are also born through the advocacy that takes place
within our early childhood programs. Often, programs require
additional resources or are impacted by existing policies. Many
individuals within programs share similar challenges and
collaborate around particular issues.
A key component of developing initiatives requires being aware
of what is happening within your community and being an
involved and informed participant.
Adapted from: Kieff, J. E. (2009). Informed advocacy in early
childhood care and education: Making a difference for young
children and families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Guided Notes
Choosing Strategies and Staying the Course
Strategies and tactics refer to actions that you take to
accomplish your advocacy goals. There are many different types
of strategies and tactics that you can use.
Educational strategies are used when you want to inform the
general public and help them gain awareness or a better
understanding of an issue. All advocacy agendas generally
require educational strategies. Fact sheets and briefs are
designed to inform the reader about an issue in a quick, easy-to-
read document that organizes general facts. These need to be
readable and clear and provide links for more information.
Websites are another common educational strategy designed to
provide additional information. Reports provide a general
overview of a particular issue that often include the history of
the problem, statistical analysis, and a review of related
information. Position papers outline an organizations
philosophy on a particular issue. Position papers provide
essential information that can be used to develop backseats to
educate policymakers. Letters to the editor and editorials are
another educational strategy—these are short and to the point
and designed to educate others. Multimedia presentations are
also designed to educate in an engaging, informative format that
presents and highlights information.
Persuasive strategies are used when your objective is to promote
or display the development of specific rules or policies. Often,
we need to educate individuals as well as persuade
policymakers about accompanying policies around our targeted
issue. Persuading policymakers requires knowledge of five
different kinds of positions that they might take: champions,

who are already dedicated to the cause and will lend their effort
in support; allies, who were generally on your side but can be
influenced to do more; fence sitters, who are uncommitted on
your issue; mellow opponents, who work against your issue
when it comes up; and hard-core opponents, who are leading are
aligned with your major opposition. Lobbying can be
accomplished via visits, letters, e-mails, phone calls, or
testimony. Your expertise within your role is particularly
important. Drawing on personal testimony, as well as facts,
becomes important within your presentation. One effective
strategy is hosting policymakers, where you invite policymakers
to be a part of program visits where they can see firsthand the
importance of your early childhood program practices.
Mobilization strategies are designed to get your message out
and keep your message alive in the minds of policymakers and
the general public. Is essential that you evaluate whatever
strategy you have put into place and follow up with additional
strategies based on initial effectiveness.
Advocacy can be most effective when you work with others.
Groups have more power, visibility, and greater capacity to get
things done. Advocacy groups can be essential to accomplishing
your advocacy agenda. Many advocacy efforts are grassroots,
where ideas for change begin with the people who are most
involved, not the policymakers.
Managing an advocacy effort requires many essential steps.
Individuals need to begin with recruitment, researching the
problem and solution, defining goals, developing strategies,
choosing effective tactics, and creating informative and
persuasive materials.
Often, groups of advocacy organizations will combine and form
a coalition, representing an organization of organizations.
Coalitions might form around specific issues or to accomplish a
specific goal.

When advocating around an issue, it is important to keep
several key concepts in mind. Having a media contact list and
organize material that includes a press release and different
mediums to connect with different kinds of media is essential.
Implementing an advocacy agenda requires that you understand
your issue, have a clear understanding of your stakeholders,
clearly understand where your policymakers stand on the issue,
that you know who you are targeting for your issue, that you
understand who you could work with, and that you have a clear
understanding of the different tactics you can utilize.
Guided Notes
Reflecting on Advocacy Efforts
1. How do you see yourself as an advocate? How does this
complement your role within your present position?
2. What is meant by informed advocacy? How does knowledge
of child development, evidence-based practices, and issues
impacting children and families influence our ability to
advocate around important issues? Which do you think is more
important: information about an advocacy issue or information
on an issue?
3. What are the hot topics, related to young children and their
families, within your community? Who are the agencies or
leaders responsible for implementing policies related to these
topics? What is the public’s role? What do you see as the
potential role of the early childhood professional in providing a

voice?
4. What strategies can you use to determine where policymakers
stand on specific issues? Who would be the best to target, based
on what you have learned about the five categories of
policymakers’ stands, for a lobbying campaign?
5. What current strengths can bring to your advocacy role?
6. What skills do you need to develop in order to be an effective
advocate? What is your plan for developing these skills?
Sources and Resources for RC004
Informed Advocacy in Early Childhood Care and Education:
Making a Difference for Young Children and Families, pp. 107-
111
https://tempolearning.brightspace.com/d2l/common/dialogs/quic
kLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=6738&type=lti&rcode=walden-
628&srcou=6738
WEBSITE: KIDS COUNT DATA CENTER
KIDS COUNT Data Center
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2014). KIDS COUNT data center:
Data topics. Retrieved from
WEBSITE: NATIONAL AND STATE FACTS
http://www.cwla.org/our-work/advocacy/
WEBSITE: U.S. CHILD STATE DATA
http://www.cwla.org/our-work/advocacy/

WEBSITE: DATA TOOLS
http://www.nccp.org/tools/
Consider how this information will be beneficial within the
context of Part 1 of your Work Product.
WEBSITE: ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
INTERNATIONAL
http://www.acei.org/
WEBSITE: DIVISION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
http://www.dec-sped.org/
WEBSITE: INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION
http://www.reading.org/
WEBSITE: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN
http://www.naeyc.org/
WEBSITE: NATIONAL BLACK CHILD DEVELOPMENT
INSTITUTE
http://www.nbcdi.org/
BOOK EXCERPT: DEVELOPING INITIATIVES
640&srcou=6738
The following links lead to early childhood advocacy initiatives
that focus on social change on behalf of children, families, and
the early childhood field.

WEBSITE: WORLDWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE:
REGIONAL AND GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS
http://www.businessinsider.com/theres-a-massive-global-
teacher-shortage-2016-10
WEBSITE: LEGISLATIVE HOT TOPICS
https://www.literacyworldwide.org/
WEBSITE: TAKEN ACTION NOW
http://www.naeyc.org/policy/action
WEBSITE: WHAT WE DO: POLICY
http://www.nbcdi.org/what-we-do/policy
BOOK EXCERPT: COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING
As you read this information and the Guided Notes , consider
how these apply to Part 2 and Part 3 of your Work Product.
647&srcou=6738
747&srcou=6738
2320&srcou=6738
This information is beneficial in the context of Part 2 and Part 3
of your Work Product.
ARTICLE: HOW TO BE A VOICE FOR BABIES: USING
DATA TO ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/496-how-to-use-data-to-
advocate-effectively
ARTICLE: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE
EARLY YEARS: UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF
FRAMING
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/482-understand-the-
basics-of-framing-to-communicate-effectively
EARLY YEARS: THE ELEMENTS OF THE FRAME: PART
ONE
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/483-the-elements-of-
framing-communications-context-numbers-and-messengers
EARLY YEARS: THE ELEMENTS OF THE FRAME: PART
TWO
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/484-the-elements-of-
framing-communications-visuals-tone-and-metaphors
EARLY YEARS: STRATEGIES FOR BECOMING A BETTER
COMMUNICATOR
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/486-strategies-for-
becoming-a-better-communicator-and-advocate
ARTICLE: FRAMING EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT:
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFANT-TODDLER
PROFESSIONALS AND ADVOCATES
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/485-framing-early-
childhood-development-recommendations-for-professionals-
and-advocates
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/485-framing-early-

childhood-development-recommendations-for-professionals-
and-advocates
Guided Notes
Researching Topics
Researching advocacy topics requires determining what relevant
theories and current research exist to support possible solutions
to defined issues. Reviewing professional journals and position
statements is a good place to begin.
It is essential that you are discriminating when researching
materials. The Internet might be a good source of information;
however information posted is often opinion, not fact. Using
critical reading skills is important to sorting out information
that provides credible research data done by reputable
organizations that provide articles that are peer reviewed. Peer-
reviewed articles are read and critiqued by experts in the
associated field and revised by authors prior to publication. You
can determine if the journalist peer-reviewed by reading
through the front matter where ownership, purpose, and
editorial practices are described.
Balancing reading also requires reviewing primary sources of
information, reflecting those that are written by people actually
doing research in the field and creating theories related to the
problem, and those that are written by secondary sources of
information. Secondary sources are articles that interpret and
synthesize the work and ideas of others. Secondary sources can
help lead you to understand how concepts and ideas are applied
within broader context.

RC004: Research and Advocacy
This assessment has three-parts. Review and complete each of
the items below to complete this assessment.
Part I: Research Brief
Select a topic of interest.
What current problems, policies, or issues affect the health,
safety, or education of young children and families? Which of
these issues are of greatest interest to you? Perhaps you are
concerned about the increased focus on high-stakes testing in
primary grades, the lack of opportunity for young children to
engage in creative and experiential play, or the need to increase
children’s access to books in the home. Explore the web
resources provided with the Assessment and/or other resources
to gain information and insights on pressing issues, needs, and
challenges that affect children and families.
Based on your initial exploration, select a topic of interest, one
for which you want to advocate for action that can positively
impact the lives of children and families. With this issue in
mind, continue exploring reputable resources and investigate
advocacy organizations and initiatives that are already in place.
Consider how this issue relates to your sphere of influence
(e.g., workplace, local community, state, national, global level)
and what actions you might take to promote positive changes
within this sphere.
Based on your exploration, prepare a 2- to 3-page Research
Brief as follows:
1. Describe the advocacy issue/challenge/need and its impact on
children and families.
2. Include a synopsis of major, compelling research findings

that support your position on the cause for which you want to
advocate.
3. Explore local, regional, state, national, and/or global
advocacy efforts that have been devoted to this issue. Identify
one or more organizations and describe their work in supporting
the advocacy issue.
4. After reading about how established organizations have
advocated for your issue, describe an initiative of your own that
could further your cause. Your initiative should be one that you
can spearhead within your sphere of influence. Your initiative
might involve activities that will increase awareness, educate
others, change a policy, bring in resources to your workplace,
start a community project, create a service to families, or any
other forms of advocacy.
· State at least two measureable goals that you believe can be
achieved within the next six months to a year.
· Include specific action steps you plan to take and a timeline
for implementation.
· Identify any roadblocks you anticipate and plans to overcome
them.
· Identify one or more policymakers or stakeholders to whom
you will communicate your advocacy initiative.
· Explain the purpose of your communication to these
stakeholders.
· Explain the purpose of your communication to these
stakeholders.
Part II: Communication to Policymakers or Stakeholders
Determine whether your communication will be to policymakers
or stakeholders. Consider what you know about this audience
and, thus, what type of information and messages would best
capture their hearts, minds, and interests about the
issue/challenge/need you chose. Then, determine how best to
present this information (e.g., PowerPoint presentation, letter,
speech, video, proposal, historical timeline, report with

statistics, etc.)
With these ideas in mind, prepare your communication piece
and then either meet with your audience face to face or send the
communication to your audience via e-mail or other means. If
you meet with your audience, be sure to engage in dialogue and
solicit their responses to the information, messages, and appeals
for help. If you send the communication via e-mail or other
means, request a response in writing, a phone call, or other
form. You will submit your communication piece with this
assessment. If it is a PowerPoint, video, or oral presentation,
you will submit it as a separate file when you submit the
Assessment.
Your communication should include:
· Statement of issue/challenge/need being addressed
· Brief explanation of the research you found
· Description of the initiative you are spearheading and a
rationale for its importance
· Initiation of dialogue or an appeal for support
· Request for a response
· Proposal of next steps
Part III: Summary and Next Steps
Once you have received responses from policymakers or
stakeholders, reflect on your experience and write a 2- to 3-page
summary. Your summary should:
1. Describe your experience in delivering your communication
to policymakers or stakeholders. What worked well? What could
you have done differently to better communicate the issue or to
better position your intentions related to advocacy?
2. Describe in detail the responses you received from
individuals to who you delivered the communication. What did
you learn? Explain how the responses serve to support or
present challenges to your advocacy initiative.
3. Determine at least three action steps for continuing your
advocacy efforts (e.g., responding to one or both of the
stakeholder groups, communicating with other stakeholders,

organizing for action, conducting further research, etc.)

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