Oral Health: Moving Dialogue to Action.

Date: May 20th, 2013

Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Location: SeaTac Radisson- Seattle, WA

Join us for the 3rd annual ABCD/Head Start and ECEAP meeting! This is a unique opportunity that brings together county level Access to Baby and Child Dentistry(ABCD) Coordinators, Head Start, Early Head Start, Tribal and Migrant Programs and ECEAP to build linkages, identify needs, and develop strategies to improve utilization of oral health care for children, 0-5 years of age.

This meeting is recommended for Head Start and ECEAP Staff working with families to support children’s oral health such as health coordinators, family service coordinators, family advocates, or home visitors. No cost for registration!!

To register please email your job title and phone number to April.Ritter@del.wa.gov

Lower Columbia College Head Start offers Guy Time with Kids

James McBride has always been an involved dad. He’s always prided himself on being active and speaking up for children. James has been on Policy Council, a WSA Parent Ambassador, and currently serves on the WSA Board. Now he’s going one step farther and creating a space for other dads to be involved too! Through a position with AmeriCorp, he is working with Lower Columbia Community College Head Start, and Director Sandy Junker, to develop a Male Involvement Program that encourages Dads to be involved with their children. James didn’t really know what the position required when he started but has spent a good amount of time researching and finding ways and materials on Father/Male Involvement and has learned there’s a lot to be learned! On November 20, 2012 Guy Time with the Kids kicked off the first event with Disaster Preparedness. James says he wasn’t as prepared as he thought, but they survived! The first few months of attendance fluctuated but by February that had a nice core group of fathers and their children attending. In March however, they went from 40-50 people attending to over 100! They offer a monthly event that brings fathers and their children together where they can spend time together free from stress and worry. They learn and play together.

Vadim and Denis Fedoruk from Lower Columbia College Head Start build a project together at the Home Depot sponsored night of Guy Time with Kids.

Prior to each event James spends time talking with the Family Advocates of the 8 Head Start Sites to get a general idea of what fathers are looking for and tries to base the events on that information. There is always a meal, an educational/learning opportunity as well as information around parenting. James creates his own flyers every month and posts them at Head Start sites, and makes sure they are in English and Spanish. He also puts out a monthly newsletter that is centered around the program and upcoming events. The program will run through July 1st, but Sandy anticipates she will have another year to continue with programming and planning with AmeriCorp. James says it is his hope their adventure is just beginning.

Early Learning Guidelines Available Online

The Department of Early Learning (DEL), in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Thrive by Five Washington, has published the Early Learning and Development Guidelines (guidelines) for children from birth through third grade. The guidelines replace the Early Learning and Development Benchmarks, which were first created in 2005 to outline what children know and are able to do at different stages of their development.

Copies of the Guidelines are available in English and Spanish.

Hard copies of the Guidelines are available for free but you must pay for shipping. To order them go to myprint.wa.gov 

To download an electronic copy click here:  http://www.del.wa.gov/development/guidelines/

MERIT Workgroup Convened

On March 8th, a group of about 20 Head Start and ECEAP Staff convened to go over some of the new functions being added to MERIT to support HS/ECEAP to use MERIT. Right now, MERIT is being used by licensed childcare programs and HS/ECEAP programs who are participating in Early Achievers. In July, we anticipate MERIT being rolled out with the first release of modifications to make it work better for all HS/ECEAP staff to use. We spent a half day asking participants what kind of functions they think would work for them, what they would like MERIT to be able to do for them, and also spent some time gathering feedback on how staff are using MERIT now. We will be following up with that group for more feedback as we continue to develop the process.

Funding available for Child Abuse Prevention

Strengthening Families Washington within DEL wants to work with local communities to increase program capacity to utilize and expand the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework for children ages birth through 5. (http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/the-basics/protective-factors)  DEL is seeking programs that offer community-based and strengths-based child abuse prevention services in diverse communities in Washington, including geographic diversity. 

Letters of Interest should clearly identify the specific protective factor(s) your organization plans to address, briefly describe your proposed project and plans for sustainability. Please note that funding is available for up to three years only. The maximum funding request is $50,000 in year one, $35,000 in year two, and $20,000 in year three. 

DEL will review the Letters of Interest and invite 10-12 applicants to provide a full application, based on the timeline below. DEL anticipates funding up to 4 Capacity-Building programs through client services contracts.

Please send questions by phone or email to:

Erinn Havig, Strengthening Families WA Program Manager

erinn.havig@del.wa.gov

(360) 725-4410

Letters of Intent due by April 30, 2013

Contact Us!

We're on the Web!

www.del.wa.gov/partnerships/head-start

If you have suggestions for future newsletter topics or feedback/questions regarding any of the HSSCO's activities, please send those thoughts along to April Ritter at (360) 725-3517 or April.Ritter@del.wa.gov

Each newsletter we will be trying to spotlight a program for something extra they are doing for children and families. If you know of a program that deserves a spotlight please email me us!