The Early Childhood Self-Assessment Tool for Family Shelters was developed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in 2014 and updated in 2020 as a guide to support the development of children in shelter settings in a safe and healthy way.

In partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), the ACF created an earlier toolkit to help supportive services and property management staff create healthy and safe environments for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers called the Early Childhood Self-Assessment Tool for Family Supportive Housing. This toolkit featured recommendations on how physical space, programming, supportive services, and staff can support early childhood development. Learn more about the  toolkit here.