Partnership For Children Of The Foothills Inc

TO PROVIDE EVERY CHILD WHO NEEDS IT, ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND OTHER CRUCIAL SERVICES BY TARGETING CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5.

CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY INCLUDED THE PART DAY PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM SERVES MCDOWELL COUNTY CHILDREN, AGES TWO THROUGH 4 YEARS OLD WHO ARE NOT ENROLLED IN A REGULATED CHILD CARE OR PUBLIC PRESCHOOL SETTING. IN EACH CLASSROOM, UP TO 16 THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS MEET FOR UP TO 4.5 HOURS 3 TIMES A WEEK; AND UP TO 16 TWO AND EARLY THREE YEAR OLDS MEET FOR UP TO 3.5 HOURS 2 TIMES A WEEK. THERE WERE 97 CHILDREN ENROLLED, 56 CHILDREN RECEIVED DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS, 3 RECEIVED REFERRALS FROM THE SCREENINGS, 71 FAMILY EVENTS WERE HELD AND 13 ONLINE INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN.

CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION QUALITY ACTIVITIES PROVIDED CHILDCARE TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND RESOURCES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS WORKING IN LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITIES SERVING CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OLD. THESE INCLUDE IN-SERVICE TRAINING WORKSHOPS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE VISITS, AND ON-SITE TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO CENTERS AND HOMES PREPARING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RATING SCALE ASSESSMENTS. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS CENTERS AND HOMES, WHICH ARE PREPARING FOR RE-ASSESSMENT AND PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO DIRECTORS IN HELPING TEACHING STAFF REACH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS. 9 PARTICIPANTS IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT RECEIVED A MONETARY INCENTIVE FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING AT LEAST ON COLLEGE COURSE. 161 CHILD CARE STAFF/EDUCATORS PARTICIPATED IN TRAININGS, REPRESENTING 33 FACILITIES.1,626 CONTACTS MADE FOR DATA COLLECTION AND INFORMATION SHARING WERE COMPLETED. 4574 PARENT HANDOUTS DELIVERED TO TEACHERS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS AS PART OF INCREASING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.

FAMILY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES INCLUDED CIRCLE OF PARENTS PROGRAMS, DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM, AND THE PARENTLEARN PROGRAM. THE CIRCLE OF PARENTS PROGRAM PROVIDED A PARENT SUPPORT GROUP THROUGH WEEKLY MEETINGS SO PARENTS CAN GAIN SELF-ESTEEM, OVERCOME ISOLATION AND IMPROVE THEIR PARENTING SKILLS. 69 ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST ONE SESSION, 17 CHILDREN ATTENDED AT LEAST ONE SESSION. THERE WERE 42 ON-SITE SESSIONS AND 105 VIRTUAL SESSIONS PROVIDED. THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN BY EXPOSING THEM TO THE CONCEPTS OF PRINT, ENCOURAGING CHILD/PARENT READING AND INCREASING EARLY LITERACY ACTIVITIES IN THE HOME, THEREBY STIMULATING THE CHILD'S INTEREST IN READING AND LEARNING. PARTICIPATING CHILDREN RECEIVE AN AGE APPROPRIATE BOOK EACH MONTH FROM TIME OF REGISTRATION UNTIL AGE 5. THERE WERE 41,632 BOOKS DELIVERED CHILDREN. THERE WERE 4,130 NEW CHILDREN ENROLLED AND 1,150 GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM. THE PARENTLEARN PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN ISOTHERMAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FAMILY RESOURCES OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY AND PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN OF THE FOOTHILLS. THIS FAMILY LITERACY/ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR QUALIFIED RUTHERFORD COUNTY PARENTS SERVED 13 PARENTS AND 13 CHILDREN THROUGH 103 PARENTING SESSIONS.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMS INCLUDED HEALTHY SMILES & VISION SCREENINGS. THE HEALTHY SMILES PROGRAM PROVIDES PREVENTATIVE DENTAL SCREENINGS TO PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS