COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR CHILDREN INC

PENNSYLVANIA'S OFFICE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY LEARNING (OCDEL) DESIGNED EARLY LEARNING RESOURCE CENTERS (ELRCS) AS "ONE-STOP" HUBS FOR EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE NEEDS. ELRCS PROVIDE A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR FAMILIES, EARLY LEARNING SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITIES TO GAIN INFORMATION AND ACCESS SERVICES THAT SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE AND EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS. THE ELRC HELPS FAMILIES FIND HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE THAT BEST MEETS THEIR NEEDS, OFFERING LINKS TO OR INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES SUCH AS: INDIVIDUALIZED LIST OF CHILD CARE PROGRAMS BASED ON A CHILD'S SPECIFIC NEEDS, CHILD CARE WORKS, PENNSYLVANIA'S CHILD CARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM, KEYSTONE STARS, PENNSYLVANIA'S QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, REFERRALS FOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS LIKE HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START, & PA PRE-K COUNTS, INFORMATION ON EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES AND SUPPORT, FAMILY CENTERS, SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), AND OTHER SERVICES. THE ELRC WORKS WITH CHILDCARE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE OFFERED TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THE KEYS TO QUALITY (STARS) PROGRAM. QUALITY COACHES ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ON-SITE AND REMOTE SERVICES TO PROVIDERS. GRANTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD QUALITY. THE ELRC ALSO ENCOURAGES PROGRAMS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHILD CARE WORKS (SUBSIDY) PROGRAM, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF ALL TYPES OF CARE IN EACH COMMUNITY. CSC OPERATES ELRCS IN REGION 11: BRADFORD, COLUMBIA, LUZERNE, MONTOUR, SULLIVAN AND WYOMING COUNTIES; REGION 12: CARBON, LACKAWANNA, MONROE, PIKE, SUSQUEHANNA AND WAYNE COUNTIES; REGION 13: BERKS AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES; REGION 14: LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES; AND REGION 16: BUCKS COUNTY. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR, CSC'S ELRC'S HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING: SUPPORTED 132 CHILD CARE PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THEIR STAR RATING LEVEL FOR QUALITY, ADMINISTERED $205 MILLION IN CHILD CARE SUBSIDY FUNDS FOR OVER 25,000 CHILDREN, MADE OVER 10,000 COMMUNITY REFERRALS FOR FAMILIES IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL SERVICES, DISTRIBUTED MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTERS TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO KEEP THEM INFORMED OF PERTINENT SYSTEM ISSUES/CHANGES AND TO SHARE INFORMATION RELATED TO QUALITY CARE, DISTRIBUTED MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTERS TO FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THE CHILD CARE WORKS PROGRAM, PROVIDING IMPORTANT SYSTEM UPDATES, HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PARENTING TIPS, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON LOCAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, DEVELOPED AND FACILITATED MONTHLY CHILD CARE DIRECTOR NETWORKING MEETINGS AND BI-MONTHLY COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH AND SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETINGS, ADMINISTERED GRANT PAYMENTS TOTALING $2.7 MILLION TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, IMPLEMENTED RAPID RESPONSE TEAMS ACROSS 5 ELRC REGIONS TO MINIMIZE THE INCIDENCE OF SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS OF YOUNG CHILDREN FROM EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS, PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE STATE-LEVEL MEETINGS AND WORK GROUPS TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES IN ELRCS ACROSS THE STATE, PROVIDED KEYS TO QUALITY PROGRAMMING IN ELRC REGION 7 VIA SUBCONTRACT.

HEAD START/PRE-K AND EARLY HEAD START OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY IS OUR NATION'S PREMIER PROVIDER OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO PREGNANT WOMEN, BABIES, TODDLERS, PRESCHOOLERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND STRUGGLE TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF LIFE. WE SEEK OUT THE MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES, THOSE AT OR BELOW 100% OF POVERTY, WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY AND OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES. WE PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. SPECIFICALLY, OUR MISSION IS TO PREPARE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO SUCCEED IN LEARNING AND LIFE THROUGH INNOVATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, LEADING EDGE SERVICES. THOUGH CHILDREN ENTER THE PROGRAM WELL BEHIND THEIR PEERS, OVER 80% OF HEAD START/PRE-K CHILDREN EXIT THE PROGRAM HAVING ACHIEVED PROFICIENCY IN DEMONSTRATING PROGRESS IN ALL LEARNING DOMAINS; SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, LANGUAGE, COGNITIVE, LITERACY, AND MATHEMATICS; POSITIONING THEM FOR A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC FUTURE. EARLY HEAD START, 100% OF PREGNANT ENROLLEES DELIVERED A HEALTHY, FULL TERM BABY. ON A DAILY BASIS WE PROVIDE DEVELOPMENTAL EXPERIENCES TO OVER 233 PREGNANT WOMEN, INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN EARLY HEAD START AND OVER 1000 (HEAD START/PRE-K) PRESCHOOLERS IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH, NUTRITION, DISABILITY SERVICES, AND FAMILY SERVICES TO THEM AS WELL. THIS YEAR OVER 1,100 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RECEIVED IN PERSON AND VITAL EARLY EDUCATION SERVICES ON A VARIETY OF SCHEDULES. FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM HAD MONTHLY GROUP ACTIVITY OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS EITHER WEEKLY (EARLY HEAD START) OR MONTHLY (HEAD START) HOME VISITS. WE ENSURE THAT EACH CHILD HAS ALL EARLY AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH SCREENINGS AND IMMUNIZATIONS AND RECEIVES AT LEAST 1/2 TO 2/3 OF THEIR DAILY NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) OF ALL CHILDREN ACHIEVED POSITIVE HEALTH STATUS BY OBTAINING ALL THEIR NEEDED SCREENINGS, AND 97.5% OF CHILDREN THIS YEAR WERE UP TO DATE ON ALL AGE-APPROPRIATE IMMUNIZATIONS. ORAL HEALTH IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT WITH 91% OF ALL CHILDREN RECEIVING PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE. TWENTY-ONE PERCENT (21%) OF HEAD START CHILDREN, AND 44% OF EARLY HEAD START-SAFESTART CHILDREN HAD DISABILITIES, YET 100% OF THESE CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL LEARNING NEEDS RECEIVED THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION. THOSE CHILDREN WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS, SUCH AS ANEMIA, ASTHMA, VISION OR FAILURE TO THRIVE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE ALL NEEDED TREATMENT. WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO OVER 220 CHILDREN DAILY TO AND FROM THE CHILDREN'S HOMES. PARENTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROGRAM, AS WE WORK IN FULL PARTNERSHIP. WE ASSIST PARENTS TO IDENTIFY THEIR GOALS FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND SUPPORT IN REACHING THOSE GOALS. THIS YEAR, 96% OF FAMILIES DEVELOPED AN INDIVIDUAL GOAL PLAN AND 99% PARTICIPATED IN HOME VISITS. WE PROVIDE PARENT TRAINING, PARENT INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND VITAL COMMUNITY LINKAGES TO OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT CAN BENEFIT THE FAMILY. OVER 1,300 REFERRALS WERE MADE TO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, FOOD, HOUSING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE. THE HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM HAS MAINTAINED ITS ACCREDITATION STATUS BY NAEYC AND ITS ACCREDITATION BY THE MIDDLE STATE ASSOCIATION COMMISSION FOR GRADES INFANT THROUGH FOUR. IN ADDITION, THE HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM IS DESIGNATED AS A PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE BY THE NATIONAL HEAD START ASSOCIATION.