Early care and education program helps providers further children’s learning experiences

Research shows that high quality early care and education programs help children develop stronger language, pre-mathematical and social skills than those in lower quality settings. Chesterfield County First Steps works with local child care centers, family child care homes and church preschools to improve the quality of early learning environments. Supporting educational opportunities for child care professionals is a priority for the nonprofit organization.

First Steps offers a wide variety of services to child care programs interested in providing high quality child care.  Some of these services are:

On-site Assessments and Technical Assistance
First Steps offers on-site assessments and technical assistance. Allison Becker, CCFS’ Early Childhood Specialist strives to improve the quality of child care provided to young children in county and their families. Services, which are customized for each child care program, may include:

• identification of areas of strength and areas needing improvement following an on-site assessment with a trained facilitator
• assistance in redesigning classroom environments
  
• the development of Individualized Professional Development Plans for child care staff
  
• referrals to other supportive services such as USDA Food program,  the T.E.A.C.H. program, ABC program, and other services
• help in becoming nationally accredited through NAEYC or NAFCC
• technical assistance and support for teachers of four-year-old children in developing effective school readiness classrooms
  
• access to free professional development opportunities that are certified through the Center of Child Care Career Development
  
• access to materials and equipment to enhance the classroom environment

“I can testify from my own experience that First Steps helps child care providers improve program quality with mentoring, training and other in-classroom assistance,” says LaNaireca Rivers owner of Tiggerland Child Development “In fact, I am in the process of becoming one of the first licensed home care provider in the county.  This is an important process because it will let parents have greater peace of mind. Licensed home providers have to meet health and safety standards and are inspected by the state and county.”  Allison Becker, Early Childhood Specialist says, “Mrs. Rivers
is absolutely right.  Parents are often unaware that unlicensed home providers are not checked by state regulators such as DSS, DHEC and the Fire Marshall. The standards that licensed providers must comply with may ensure an environment of basic health and safety standards for young children entrusted in the provider’s care.” 

Becker encourages concerned parents to visit the DSS Child Care Licensing website at: http://childcare.sc.gov/main/general/programs/licensing/
index.aspx for regulatory guidelines, tips and information
about child care providers. 

First Steps is now accepting applications for participation in the quality enhancement program.  Any child care provider interested in this program should contact Becker at 623-4444 or 623-5904.  Applications will be accepted through 4:00PM on February 23.