First Steps Kent

TO CREATE A COORDINATED, INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES THAT SUPPORTS ALL FAMILIES IN KENT COUNTY SO EVERY YOUNG CHILD IN KENT COUNTY WILL ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY WAS OBTAINING GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO IMPLEMENT, INCREASE, STRENGTHEN, AND COORDINATE THE NETWORK OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES IN KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FIRST STEPS KENT ADMINISTERS AND OVERSEES THE READY BY FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD MILLAGE (THE "READY BY FIVE MILLAGE") FOR PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SCHOOL READINESS, AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN THROUGH AGE FIVE. IT ALLOWS MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS KENT COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN TO INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS HOME VISITING, PLAY AND LEARN GROUPS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING, AND NAVIGATION SUPPORT TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS THE HELP THEY NEED AND WANT. DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TO FUND ARE BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RESIDENT PROPOSAL REVIEW BOARD, WHICH INCLUDES PARENTS, KENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, A COMMUNITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT, AND A FIRST STEPS KENT COMMISSIONER.

DATA PROJECTS-FIRST STEPS KENT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-WIDE DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVES FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF EXPECTANT PARENTS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN KENT COUNTY. THIS PROJECT TRACKS THE PROGRESS OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ALIGNING IN THREE KEY AREAS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO KINDERGARTEN READINESS, INCLUDING: CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY, CHILDREN ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY ON TRACK AND CHILD HEALTH. PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED A FORMAL PROCESS TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WITH THE IDENTIFYING OF CONTRIBUTING INDICATORS THAT ADD A MEASURABLE CONTEXT TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD VISION FOR KENT COUNTY, DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMS STAKEHOLDER MAP SHOWING THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONGEARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS DESIGNING PERFORMANCE BASED METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENTS EXECUTED WITH AGENCIES RECEIVING READY BY FIVE MILLAGE FUNDING.

MAINSPRING EARLY CARE ALLIANCE - INCREASES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN BY MAXIMIZING EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER CAPACITY. THE SHARED SERVICES INITIATIVE OFFERS RESOURCES TO INCREASE BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SUPPORTS SUCH AS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM EXPERTS ON SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS ON BEST PRACTICES IN QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND DEVELOPING A COORDINATED PURCHASING SYSTEM TO ENSURE PROVIDERS RECEIVE VOLUME DISCOUNTS THAT WILL INCREASE THEIR BUYING POWER FOR SUPPLIES.

EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVES-FIRST STEPS KENT WAS ESTABLISHED TO BE THE SYSTEMS LEVEL ORGANIZATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD IN KENT COUNTY, BORN OUT OF PLANNING BETWEEN COMMUNITY LEADERS, FUNDERS AND THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATION IN 2009. ALTHOUGH TERMS AND THE VERNACULAR HAS SHIFTED OVER SEVERAL YEARS, PROMOTION AND ADVOCACY FOR EARLY LEARNING FOCUSED ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COVERING THE AGE CONTINUUM FROM PRENATAL TO 5 YEARS OF AGE IS A LARGE PART OF THE WORK OF FIRST STEPS KENT. THE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WORK ENSURES THAT CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY AND ARE REFERRED TO SERVICES TO ASSIST THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES AND SERVICES, SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. FIRST STEPS KENT IS A LEAD CONVENER IN KENT COUNTY, STATEWIDE AND EVEN NATIONALLY TO PROMOTE AND ADVOCATE FOR EVIDENCEDBASED MODELS TO ENHANCE THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN. THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE DOZENS OF MEETINGS, CONVENINGS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LATEST RESEARCH DOCUMENTS CREATED BY PARTNERS LIKE THE BUILD INITIATIVE, THE PRITZKER CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL POLICY. FIRST STEPS KENT STRIVES TO ADVOCATE FOR SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING IMPACT REPORTS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS SHOWING WHERE GAPS EXIST IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LANDSCAPE.