Richmond County Partnership For Children Inc

THE RICHMOND COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE 5 IN RICHMOND COUNTY. THE EMPHASIS IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN RICHMOND COUNTY ENTERS SCHOOL HEALTHY AND READY TO SUCCEED IN BECOMOING AN AVID LEARNER AND ULTIMATELY A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN WHO CONTRIBUTES TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITHIN THE COUNTY, THE PARTNERSHIP WILL ENSURE THAT ALL PRE-KINDERGARTEN AGED CHILDREN WILL HAVE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, HIGH QUALITY CHILD CARE, WILL BE HEALTHY, AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF AND ACCESS TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES.

CHILD CARE & EDUCATION QUALITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED STAR ENHANCEMENT GRANTS TO CHILD CARE CENTERS TO MAINTAIN STAR RATINGS, QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS TO CHILD CARE CENTERS FOR EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS PURCHASSES AND MAINENANCE, AND EDUCATION-BASED SALARY SUPPLEMENTS TO AUGMENT TEACHERS' SALARIES AND PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR TEACHERS TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. ALSO, CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL SUPPORT SERVICES WERE OFFERED TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES. CHILD CARE CENTERS ALSO BENEFITED LAST YEAR FROM THE STAR ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO HELP SITES MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT RATING OF 4 OR 5 STARS. THE PROGRAM OFFERED FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROGRAMS THAT SOUGHT TO IMPROVE THEIR STAR RATINGS AND OFFERED QUARTERLY BONUSES TO 4-5 STAR FACILITIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 30,000 IN CLASSROOM MATERIALS, STAFF BENEFITS, TEACHER TUITION AND BOOKS, AND TEACHER TRAINING. THE QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITIES IMPROVE THEIR PROGRAM AND EARN A HIGHER STAR RATING. EDUCATION-BASED SALARY SUPPLEMENTS TOTALING MORE THAN 24,876 WERE OFFERED TO 49 CHILD CARE TEACHERS FROM 18 FACILITIES. 100% OF THE RECIPIENTS SAID THAT THE SUPPLEMENT ENCOURAGED THEM TO REMAIN IN THE CHILD CARE PROFESSION OR AFFECTED THEIR DECISION TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. IN ADDITION TO SUPPLEMENTS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED 63 COUNSELING CONSULTATIONS RELATED TO CONTINUED EDUCATION, WHICH RESULTED IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR 31 TEACHERS. CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES, ENVIRONMENT RATING SCALES ASSESSMENTS, ROOM ARRANGEMENT AND CENTER SPECIFIC TRAININGS. FOLLOWING 40 TECHNICAL VISITS TO FACILITIES BY PARTNERSHIP STAFF, ALL TEACHERS SAID THE SERVICES IMPACTED THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE THE OFFER. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED CONTINUING EDUCATION WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS, AND 100% OF ATTENDEES SAID THE TRAINING GAVE THEM NEW KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO USE IN THEIR CAREERS. MORE THAN 157 TEACHERS ATTENED NON-CDIT BASED TRAINING OR WORKSHIPS. 23 CHILD CARE FACILITIES VISITED THE PARTNERSHIP'S LENDING LIBRARY, OBTAINING TOYS, GAMES, LEARNING MATERIALS AND CLASSROOM SUPPLIES. 103 PARENTS ALSO USED THE LENDING LIBRARY LAST YEAR. IN ALL, THERE WERE 796 VISITS BY TEACHERS AND FAMILIES TO THE LIBRARY. ALL VISITORS REPORTED THAT THE MATERIALS ENHANCED THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. REFERRALS FOR CHILD CARE ARE NO BEING HANDLED BY THE REGIONAL CALL CENTER.

FAMILY SUPPORT- PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES INCLUDING REACH OUT AND READ WHICH COLLABORATES WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE LITERACY PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY SYSTEMS BUILDING AND PUBLIC AWARENESS AND RESOURCES.

HEALTH & SAFETY - NURSES IN THE CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTANT PROGRAM, ADMINISTERED BY THE RICHMOND COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WORKED DIRECTLY WITH LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITIES IN RICHMOND COUNTY TO ADDRESS HEALTH, SAFETY AND NUTRITIONAL NEEDS THROUGH TRAININGS, EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION SERVICES. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERED INTENSIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUCH AS ON-SITE ASSESSMENTS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES WITH ACTION PLANS IF NEEDED, HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY REVIEWS, REVISION AND DEVELOPMENT. ASSISTANCE INCLUDED GROUP TRAININGS, ASSISTANCE IWTH ANNUAL IMMUNIZATION REPORTS, IMMUNIZATION AUDITS AND ASSISTANCE WITH THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS. DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, STAFF MADE 264 PM- SITE CONSULTATIONS AT CHILD CARE FACILITIES.

FAMILY SUPPORT-THE PARTNERSHIP'S REACH OUR AND READ PROGRAM INVOLVED PARTNERING WITH MEDICAL CARE PRACTICES TO PROVIDE EARLY LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN (6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS) AND THEIR PARENTS. DURING THE WELL-CHILD ROUTINE VISITS, PARENTS RECEIVED BOOKS TO TAKE HOME AND READ ALOUD TO THEIR CHILDREN, ENCOURAGING PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS AS PART OF THE EARLY LITERACY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. 1,386 CHILDREN RECEIVED 1,452 BOOKS UNDER THIS PROGRAM. CHILD CARE & EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY - THE PARTNERSHIP IMPLEMENTED A SUBSIDY PROGRAM ON A DIRECT PER CHILD BASIS TO PROVIDE DUAL SUBSIDY PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR 4 OR 5 STAR- RATED FACILITIES. THE FUNDS WERE USED FOR PURCHASE OF CARE AND ENHANCEMENTS FOR NON-NC PREKINDERGARTEN CARE FOR TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF0 ELIGIBILE OR CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND (CCDF) ELIGIBLE FAMILIES. 39 CHILDREN RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THROUGH SMART-START FUNDS. IN ADDITION, 21 FAMILIES RECEIVED SUPPORT AND TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CHILD OR MEET THEIR FAMILY NEEDS. 93% OF THE PARENTS STATED THAT THEY NOW ARE EXTREMELY CONFIDENT IN APPLYING NEW PARENTING SKILLS AND REPORTED HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO HELP THEM PROVIDE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL LEAD TO SCHOOL READINESS.