CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FIRST

SUPPORTING HEALTHY BABIES HEALTHY FAMILIES DELAWARE (HFD) IS A STATEWIDE, EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL-GENERATION HOME VISITING PROGRAM THAT SERVES FIRST-TIME AND SUBSEQUENT PREGNANCY MOMS WHO ARE MORE THAN 28 WEEKS PREGNANT OR HAVE A NEWBORN YOUNGER THAN THREE MONTHS OF AGE. THROUGH INTERACTIVE, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SUPPORT AND FREQUENT CONTACT, HOME VISITING PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE MOMS EDUCATION AND SUPPORT THEY NEED THROUGH THEIR CHILD'S THIRD BIRTHDAY. IN 2024, 76 BABIES WERE BORN IN THE PROGRAM. OF THOSE, 84% HAD A HEALTHY BIRTH WEIGHT AND 84% WERE BORN AT A HEALTHY GESTATIONAL AGE. IN ADDITION, 92% TO 97% OF ASSESSED CHILDREN SCORED WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE FOR LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL MILESTONES AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT. NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP) IS A STATEWIDE, EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL-GENERATION HOME VISITING PROGRAM THAT SERVES FIRST-TIME, LOW-INCOME, AT-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN NO MORE THAN 28 WEEKS PREGNANT AND FOLLOWS THEM THROUGH THE CHILD'S SECOND BIRTHDAY. THROUGH HANDS-ON, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND FREQUENT CONTACT, SPECIALLY TRAINED NURSES HELP MOMS HAVE HEALTHY PREGNANCIES AND HELP THEIR CHILDREN REACH DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE MILESTONES. IN 2024, 106 BABIES WERE BORN IN THE PROGRAM. OF THOSE, 86% OF BABIES HAD A HEALTHY BIRTH WEIGHT AND 91% WERE NOT PRE-TERM. IN ADDITION, 83% TO 98% OF ASSESSED CHILDREN SCORED WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE FOR LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL MILESTONES AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT.

EARLY CHILDHOODHEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START (HS|EHS) ARE NATIONAL MODEL EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL-GENERATION EARLY CHILDHOOD PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMS SERVING ELIGIBLE KENT AND SUSSEX COUNTY CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO 5 YEARS OLD, AND THEIR FAMILIES. EDUCATORS AND A STAFF OF SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONALS SUPPORT HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING THROUGH A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, NUTRITION, AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH DIRECT SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IN THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, CFF HS ENROLLED 576 CHILDREN, OF WHICH 43% (246) WERE MULTI-LANGUAGE CHILDREN. IN ADDITION TO THE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THAT ALL CHILDREN RECEIVED, THE MOST FREQUENT SERVICES ENGAGED IN BY FAMILIES INCLUDED: CONNECTION TO BASIC NEEDS, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, ASSET BUILDING, ENGAGEMENT IN THE CHILD'S SCREENING/ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND PROGRESS, TRANSITION SUPPORT TO KINDERGARTEN, AND PREVENTATIVE MEDICAL AND ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION. THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) ASSURES THAT CHILDREN CARED FOR BY LICENSED CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND CENTERS, OFTEN LOCATED IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, RECEIVE NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED MEALS. CFF STAFF MONITORS PROVIDE NUTRITION, FOOD PREPARATION, SAFETY, AND OTHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AND VISIT EACH FACILITY AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER YEAR. IN ADDITION, CACFP REIMBURSES CHILDCARE PROVIDERS FOR MEALS THAT FOLLOW STRINGENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NUTRITION GUIDELINES. IN 2024, 637,444 NUTRITIOUS MEALS WERE SERVED TO CHILDREN BY PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION TUITION, TRAINING, AND CREDENTIALING, TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF DELAWARE'S CHILDCARE WORKFORCE. THIS PROGRAM ITERATION CONCLUDED IN DECEMBER 2023.CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE (CDA) CERTIFICATION COHORT PROGRAM CONTRACTS WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD INNOVATION CENTER (ECIC) AT DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY TO ADMINISTER COHORTS FOR CHILD CARE PROFESSIONALS TO COMPLETE THEIR CDA CERTIFICATION. THE COACHES PROVIDE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE CDA CREDENTIALING PROCESS. THESE SUPPORTS INCLUDE REQUIRED MONTHLY COHORT MEETINGS, CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS AND REFLECTIVE MEETINGS, GUIDANCE IN COMPLETING THEIR REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW OF PORTFOLIOS, ALONG WITH PREPARATION FOR THE FINAL EXAM AND CDA OBSERVATION. THE FIRST COHORTS RAN FROM JULY 2023 JUNE 2024. A SECOND ROUND OF COHORTS BEGAN IN JULY 2024 AND WILL END IN JUNE 2025. IN 2024, 115 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN 10 COHORTS ACROSS KENT AND SUSSEX COUNTIES (4 COHORTS BEGINNING IN JUNE 2023 AND 6 BEGINNING IN JUNE 2024). OF THOSE STUDENTS, 59 COMPLETED ALL 120 HOURS AND 32 PASSED THEIR CDA EXAM.