PROMOTING THE USE OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SCREENERS AMONG EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL READINESS: THE ASQ VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth

Year: 2023

In 2021, Fairfax County developed the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® Learning Course Program (ASQ Virtual Learning Program) to help promote school readiness throughout Fairfax County. The county’s nonprofit partner, Fairfax Futures, led a collaborative endeavor with the county’s Infant & Toddler Connection and the Office for Children’s School Readiness division to develop a virtual learning program to expand and promote the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2)—developmental and social/emotional screeners – among early childhood programs. The Covid-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to create a five-week virtual course that would safely and effectively teach educators how to use and apply developmental and social-emotional screening tools with young children and their families.

In Fairfax County, there are approximately 72,000 children ages birth to age 5, and the screening tool helps ensure that children enter kindergarten meeting age-appropriate developmental expectations.  The course includes recorded learning modules and facilitated group conversations. There are also online support tools to help track screening data. This project supports implementation of the Fairfax County Equitable School Readiness Strategic Plan by providing equitable offerings of high-quality early development and learning experiences and related school readiness supports throughout the county.