Assess, Build, and Strengthen Young Children's Social and Emotional Skills!
The SECOND STEP and DECA (Devereux Early Childhood Assessment) programs are used nationwide to help strengthen the social and emotional skills of young children. Together they provide an excellent means to assess, build, and strengthen children's social skills, protective factors, and resilience.
SECOND STEP-DECA Alignment Chart
Fill out a form to download a free alignment chart that shows how the concepts taught in SECOND STEP lessons link to DECA protective factors and strategies for the classroom.
ARRA Funding for Head Start
Now is a good time to build a long-term program to support children's social and emotional well-being with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Read our ARRA FAQ to learn about how our programs align with ARRA, including funds for Head Start.
DECA Kit
Assess your Pre/K students' positive social and emotional resources and abilities with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) kit. The DECA kit is a helpful complement to the SECOND STEP Pre/K program. SECOND STEP lessons strengthen children’s self-control, attachment, and initiative—important protective factors identified in the DECA program.
The centerpiece of the DECA kit is a user-friendly, strength-based standardized assessment for children aged two to five, with instructions for administering, scoring, and interpreting the results and a screener for behavioral concerns.
DECA Training
Visit the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative site to learn about DECA training.
Save by purchasing the DECA kit with a SECOND STEP Pre/K kit.