Programs
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Enrichment Programs
Roving Literacy Project:
The Roving Literacy Project immerses children in the crucial early literacy skills that are building blocks for future success in school, while concurrently providing vital connections and mentoring for our Family Child Care Connections Providers. Our Roving Musicians and Readers model reading strategies, musical intervention strategies and early literacy techniques for Family Child Care Connections Providers. They also form relationships with our Family Child Care Connections Providers and the children we serve at each site.
Key to our success is the commitment we have not only to the children and families we serve; but also the mentoring and support we provide to our Family Child Care Connections Providers. We have designed a unique program that provides a safe, stimulating and enriching educational experience for children and families.
Roving Literacy is a multi-tiered program; its goals are to:
- Meet the emergent literacy needs of the children we serve
- Expose children to quality early literacy and musical experiences
- Provide vital mentoring; educational support and community connections to our Family Child Care Connections Providers
- Promote and support parental involvement in the early literacy development and experiences of their children.
In order to meet our goals the following objectives are in place for the Roving Literacy Project:
- Roving Musicians will visit each of our Family Child Care Connections sites 1/week
- Roving Readers will visit each of our Family Child Care Connections sites 1/week
- Each child in the Family Child Care Connections program will take home a book backpack once a month
- A parent "Literacy Party", hosted at a Family Child Care Connections site, is offered with dinner 2/year.
The program continues to seek additional funding to increase the number of visits to each site.
The Roving Literacy Project encompasses all of the elements cited above and more. Family Child Care Connections Providers develop close relationships with their reader who is knowledgeable in both classic and contemporary titles appropriate for all age groups. Most of the readers have been reading in the same homes for years contributing to the continuity and bonding that the children enjoy for nearly three full years before they leave Family Child Care Connections to go on to preschool.
At each site visit, the Roving Readers read several books to the children and encourage their comments, questions, and individual explorations. Readers know individual children's favorite books and bring them frequently for rereading. Book backpacks are sent home with children that contain age appropriate and favorite books that they can share with their family.
The Roving Musicians provide interactive music with the children, helping them to gain a sense of rhythm and movement. Music sessions may help a shy child become expressive, an easily distracted child to learn to focus, and an anxious child feel more relaxed. Music is also used as a medium for learning vocabulary, new concepts, communication, self-expression and fun.
Play Enhancement Program (P.E.P.)
The Play Enhancement Program is a developmental play session that is conducted in the Evanston Early Head Start homes on a weekly basis. In addition to play sessions, the program's Child Development Specialist is responsible for conducting developmental screenings on each Early Head Start child enrolled in the program. If a referral for services is needed, the Child Development Specialist is available to support parents in this process and developmental services can be conducted in the Family Child Care Connections Provider's home.
Evanston Public Library
Each month the Evanston Public Library brings book bags to the Child Care Center for Family Child Care Connections Providers to pick-up when they attend our monthly training sessions. Family Child Care Connections Providers are able to request specific books that will enhance their curriculum or theme for that month.
Program Support Services
Erikson Institute Graduate Programs in Child Development
Family Child Care Connections is also fortunate to collaborate with Erikson Institute - a Graduate School in Child Development. Each year an intern works side by side with the Child Development Specialist learning screening tools and developing relationships with children and Family Child Care Connections Providers. Eventually the intern branches out to the non-Early Head Start homes to conduct screenings, developmental play sessions and work with Family Child Care Connections Providers in identifying children that may need a boost in a specific area of development. Together they can implement activities to help foster the individual child's development.
Infant Welfare Society of Evanston
Family Child Care Connections program collaborates with the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston to identify children in non-Early Head Start homes with developmental needs and work with families to obtain services if necessary. Infant Welfare Society also is available for families in need of a variety of support services. Family Child Care Connections Providers and the Child Development Specialist can refer families to the program to identify these needs and address them on an individual basis.
Family Childcare Support Services
Family Childcare Support Services provides:
- Monthly meetings/trainings assist Family Child Care Connections Providers in completing the required 15 hours of in-service hours required by D.C.F.S.
- Tiered reimbursement rate based on in-service hours and credentials
- Tuition reimbursement for successfully completed Oakton Community College Early Childhood Development classes
- CPR and First Aid training
- Family referrals
- Administrative support
- Enrichment programs
- Individual support as needed
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care for children and elderly adults by making care more affordable for many low-income families. Through CACFP, 2.9 million children and 86,000 adults receive nutritious meals and snacks each day as part of their day care.
The Child Care Center of Evanston is a CACFP sponsor. Sponsors are responsible for training Family Child Care Connections Providers according to the USDA guidelines. Training includes but is not limited to; healthy foods appropriate for young children, choking hazards, appropriate portions and safe food handling procedures. Family Child Care Connections Providers are also required to document each meal and submit monthly menus to the program for approval in addition to allowing the Sponsor's monitor to conduct, at minimum, three meal reviews per year.
Note: Identifiable images of children are stock photographs and do not depict actual attendees of the Child Care Center of Evanston