Programs: 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 live in poverty and struggle to meet the basic needs of life. We seek out the neediest of families, those at or below 100% of poverty, who without our intervention may not succeed in learning and in life. We provide high quality early education and comprehensive family development services. Specifically, our mission is to ensure that each child can reach their full potential, is ready for school and that each family is successful. Though children enter the program well behind their peers, over 95% of head start/pre-k children exit the program having achieved all of their learning indicators; positioning them for a successful academic future. Ninety-six (96%) are achieving at or above their age level in math, science and literacy skills. Ninety-five (95%) of pregnant enrollees in early head start delivered a healthy, full term baby! On a daily basis we provide developmental experiences to at least 201 pregnant women, infants and toddlers (early head start) and 876 (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 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 (hs)home visits. We ensure that each child had all early and preventive health screenings and immunizations, and receives at least 2/3 of their daily nutritional requirements. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of all children achieved positive health status by obtaining all of their needed screenings, and 100% of children this year were up to date on all age appropriate immunizations. Oral health is equally significant with 96% of all children receiving preventive dental care. Seventeen percent (17%) of head start children, and 24% of early head start 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 420 children daily to and from their classrooms. 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 to reach those goals. This year 90% of parents achieved at least one goal, and 45% of available fathers became actively involved in their child's learning. We provide parent training, parent involvement opportunities, and vital community linkages to other social service agencies that can benefit the family. Over 1,200 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 was reaccredited by the middle state association commission for grades infant through four. In addition, the head start/early head start program was designated as a program of excellence by the national head start association.
the purpose of the subsidized child care program is to provide financial assistance to pay for child care so that the parent/caretaker (p/c) can work, meet the county assistance office (cao) employment and training (e&t) requirements, complete high school or participate in training while working a minimum of ten hours per week. The subsidized child care program is intended for families who meet the financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria. Families whose income is less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines at initial application may be eligible for the program. The parent/caretaker (p/c) is required to pay a copayment toward the cost of child care, unless the p/c is receiving child care under the fs/snap child care program or is not employed and is receiving child care under the tanf child care program. Requirements for the program include: working a minimum of 10 hours per week or a combination of work and training that is 20 or more hours a week and the parent must verify the need for employment and/or training, child must be a citizen of the u. S and the family must reside in lehigh county. Parent services include resource and referral (r&r) and is available to all lehigh county families. R&r services are available to provide information and guidance about child care to assist families in making informed child care choices and provide parent education regarding the benefits of quality child care. R&r services also include providing custom child care referrals for families to assist them in locating an appropriate child care for their child/ren. As part of the r&r services a family may receive assistance in applying for subsidized child care, including submitting an application via the commonwealth of pennsylvania's access to social services (compass) online system. The child care information services (ccis) agency is the center of child care information in the local community. Ccis agencies must advocate this philosophy when connecting with families who seek information about child care. The ccis resource and referral (r&r) service focuses on the needs of each parent /caretaker (p/c) and child. Other parent and r&r services include data management and coordination with the local community and other programs within the state child care and education system. Ccis activities with child care providers include helping with the completion of the provider survey, assisting providers in the use of the online provider self-service (pss) system and referring child care providers to appropriate resources to improve the quality of services or to meet specific child care needs. R&r services will include providing local child care statistics, as provided by the pennsylvania's enterprise to link information for children across networks (pelican) system, to assist community engagement groups in its efforts to improve access and quality. Families that are eligible for subsidized child care have the right to choose a child care provider who agrees to comply with the department of human services (ohs) standards for provider participation. Information and direction regarding child care provider selection are given by the child care information service (ccis) agencies located throughout pennsylvania. Parents can also search for child care providers or early learning services directly. A parent may select either regulated or unregulated child care providers. Unregulated providers include in-home care providers and relative providers. Regulated providers are child care centers certified under chapter 3270, group child day care homes certified under chapter 3280 or family child care homes (fcch). The ccis processes over 2500 applications and serves over 10,000 children annually. Provider services include subsidy payments to over 400 providers totaling approximately $20 million annually.
the northeast regional key is responsible for coordinating and administering a variety of professional development and quality improvement activities, to support and enhance the quality of more than 1,500 early learning programs in northeastern pennsylvania. The northeast regional key provided services to regulated programs in 18 counties in northeastern pa. Accomplishments in the last program year include:- designed and implemented a quality improvement plan for professional development and technical assistance in partnership with colleges, professional development organizations and individual pqas instructors. Scheduled and implemented 1,254 professional development activities. Attendance at these events was approximately 11,161. - 930 programs participated in keystone stars, pa's quality rating and improvement system. Through mentorships, blue print groups and other movement supports 124 programs moved to a higher level of quality in keystone stars. - the ecmh consultation program is a child specific consultative model designed to address the social and emotional developmental needs of young children in a child care facility. 96 children received early childhood mental health consultation service. - designed and wrote multiple newsletters for directors, teachers and families. The newsletters were distributed at least twice a month and placed on our website for easy access. - wrote and distributed county specific reports to be used in community meetings and with select stakeholders. These reports included information about the number of keystone star sites, the star level, number of children enrolled in the facilities and the percentage of participation in pa's quality rating system. - at least 175 programs received on site consultation services by infant-toddler consultants, school age consultants, stars technical assistance consultants or child care health consultants. The child care programs selects the type of on-site technical support that they feel will assist them in their quality journey. - to highlight the importance of literacy development in preschool children 57 community readers spent time with a child care program reading kite day: a bear and mole story by will hillenbrand. - $ 8,394,487 was awarded to programs in the region. The majority of the funds requested were to support the program's learning environment for children. - through the race to the top grant, non-certified programs were supported in moving into keystone stars and programs that were not yet certified/licensed were assisted in becoming licensed and prepared for keystone stars.
