Parenting and Child DevelopmentPlan of Work

Back to Plans for the County

Bell County CES

Title:
Parenting and Child Development
MAP:
Improve Individual and Family Development
Agents Involved:
Rebecca Miller
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Family Development General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Stories, Songs, and Stretches
Situation:

“School-readiness” is a broad term that refers to multiple precursor cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills that indicate young children are prepared to learn and thrive in the school environment. A wide body of research shows a strong foundation in school readiness is indicative of school success. Emerging research also indicates that there is a synergistic effect when early learning activities activate physical and cognitive skills simultaneously, as opposed to doing so in isolation. However, in the state of Kentucky only 50% of children are deemed “school-ready” when they enter Kindergarten.  These numbers indicate a need for more activities that support school-readiness by building multiple skill sets simultaneously.

96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care.  Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care settings in the country.  15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home.   Kinship care providers need support on different issues (stress, discipline, and how to care for themselves).


Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:


Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:



Outcome: Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.

Indicator: How many children increased their ability to express emotion after attending the program?

Method:  Stories, Songs, and Stretches Survey

Timeline: Jan-Dec



Outcome: Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Bell County. 

Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many parents reported improved gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and early literacy skills?) 

Method:  Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Kindergarten Readiness Results

Timeline:  July- June


Outcome: Increase skills and resources of caregivers to provide effective care for young relatives

Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many caregivers improve skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy, stress)

Method: Parenting a Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation 

Timeline:  Post program evaluation 


Learning Opportunities:

Audience: children 5 and under and their families

Project or Activity:  Stories, Songs, and Stretches

Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs and Stretches materials

Inputs: libraries, schools, agent

Date:on going


Audience: primary school aged children

Project or Activity: FRED (Families Reading EveryDay)

Content or Curriculum: FRED curriculum, books

Inputs: schools, resource centers, librarians, agent

Date: spring of year



Audience: grandparents, parents, youth, families

Project or Activity: Parent /Child Afterschool Group

Content or Curriculum:Keys to Embracing Aging, Sress pubs, UK Publications, Keys to Great Parenting

Inputs: agent, family resource centers, schools

Date: on going





Success Stories

Families Reading EveryDay

Author: Rebecca Miller

Major Program: Family Development General

     Families Reading Every Day is a program designed to encourage families to read to the children in their lives. With family life style’s getting busier and children watching more television and being involved with playing video games, parents find it difficult to have a meaningful relationships with their children. Studies, also, show that children who are read to for at least 20 minutes a day are more likely to do better in school and not have as many discipline problem

Full Story
Back to Plans for the County