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Stratford Parent's Place -
Helping Child Care Providers Get Kids
Ready for School
Stratford
Parents' Place is devoted to providing services and resources
to assist child care providers with hands-on training, books,
educational materials and a support system that will help
them ready kids for school.
Due
to the increase in the number of relatives and neighbors
caring for young children, in Stratford, 30% of all children
entering school have not had a preschool experience. Through
a grant from United Way of Eastern Fairfield County, the
Stratford Parents' Place has created a program, Families,
Friends and Neighbors, which provides a similar experience
for children who are not able to attend a formal center-based
preschool program.
At an
Open House on September 5, relative and family home care
providers were able to tour the facility located in Johnson
House/Stratford Academy at 719 Birdseye Street, Stratford.
Child care-givers met other providers, learned about the
early childhood lending library, the Ready-to-Go Bags and
the educational tools which can be checked out on loan.
Priscilla
Long, Director of the Stratford Parents' Place, welcomed
a new Spanish-speaking Parent Educator in the spring of
2007 who has been meeting with licensed and unlicensed providers
to brainstorm ideas on outreach. "It has been absolutely
wonderful having Migda reaching out to the families and
providers because we are now able to work with Spanish-speaking
families that we previously could not", stated Long.
A survey
was conducted of 91 licensed and unlicensed providers, and
57 of the group requested training on discipline, literacy/family
learning activities, working with special needs children
and first aid.
Lorrie Warmke, who attended the Open House on September
5, has a family home daycare, Lorrie's Daycare.
Mary Ann Reid (left) and Jean Jepsen (right) are both
Relative Child-care Givers.
Tania Moorer (left), a Relative Caregiver, and Lillian
Valente, a Family Home-care provider, learn about the Ready-to-Go
Theme Bags that can be taken on loan from the center.
Mary Ann Reid (left), a Relative Caregiver, and Migda
Carrero (right), Stratford Parents' Place Parent Educator,
show some of the educational tools available at the facility.
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