Challenging behavior was identified among the top three stressors in early childhood care in a 2023 study by University of Virginia Professor Lieny Jeon. This is consistent with what has been reported from Nebraska’s early childhood professionals and family members. When caregivers are stressed, it can have significant and long-lasting repercussions, including difficulty with children knowing how to experience and regulate their emotions, strained relationships between the  parent/caregiver and child, and negative influence on a child’s physical and mental health.

That’s why a recent joint evaluation by Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and the Munroe Meyer Institute has been so encouraging for Circle of Security, an evidence-based program supported by Rooted in Relationships.