Nurture Connection is honored to welcome Colleen Andrews to our Family Network Collaborative (FNC)! Colleen is a parent leader located in Wasilla, Alaska who currently represents children and families with special healthcare needs.

This March, which is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Colleen shares some reflections about the important role that Early Relational Health (ERH) plays in supporting children with special healthcare needs and their families. Read on to learn more about Colleen’s journey to championing ERH as a parent leader.

During the Advancing Comprehensive Early Childhood Intervention Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, September 2–5, professor and founder and director of Nurture Connection David W. Willis, MD, FAACP, attended what he called “a glorious presentation” about Illinois’ Early Intervention Training Program (EITP), which supports professionals working with families with children from birth to three years old. Back in the States, Dr. Willis, who is a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Georgetown University, sat down with two other Nurture Connection leaders for a virtual meeting with the presenter and EITP director, Susan Connor, to learn more about it and how its leaders have incorporated the principles of Early Relational Health.

The transformational power of Early Relational Health (ERH) is its multiplier effect in building healthy, flourishing communities. The development of ERH in infants and children cannot be separated from the broader health of families and communities. In fact, the concept of ERH recognizes that children’s flourishing reflects a collective commitment of families, communities, and society.

And so, as we enter 2026, we are optimistic that we will continue to build on what we accomplished in 2025. When we reflect on the past year, three meaningful themes emerge from the work that may offer direction in 2026: 1) advancing new ways of understanding ERH across the early childhood ecosystem; 2) learning and leading with parents; and 3) transforming systems and communities by centering connection.

Nurture Connection has identified the Small Moments Big Impact (SMBI) video series as a unique and valuable resource for early childhood practitioners and ERH advocates to share and discuss with families, to make a special connection for the promotion of ERH. Developed by Barry Zuckerman, MD, and Cyndie Hatcher, MD, this series shows what Early Relational Health really looks like and means in action, and offers opportunities for all frontline providers to have meaningful conversations about ways parents/caregivers can develop their understanding and change their behavior to build ERH within their own families.

With the help of parent leaders from our Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative, we identified the following SMBI videos that exemplify and embody Early Relational Health in action. Each video includes reflection questions for parents and caregivers, which can help spark important conversations and build a special relationship between providers and parents.

The 2025 National Summit in Washington, D.C. was an opportunity for four of the parent leaders from the Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative (FNC) to gather in person and connect with other early childhood practitioners, advocates, and parent leaders.

In this short video, they shared their experiences and reflections from the summit, including what they are most excited to bring back to their communities as they continue to work to advance Early Relational Health for children and families.

On October 1st, 2025, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) published the consensus study report Early Relational Health: Building Foundations for Child, Family, and Community Well-Being.

NASEM’s landmark recognition of ERH is a clear validation — and a major boost — for the work so many are leading in early childhood ecosystems across communities, including members of the Nurture Connection’s National ERH Network. Their work of centering Early Relational Health in systems, communities, and families is reshaping the health and well-being of children across the country.