Extension
It Starts With Us
Parenting/Child Development
Improve Individual and Family Development
Cowles
Family Development General
“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
- Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in the state of Kentucky.
- Improve academic success for children in Kentucky
- Increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
- Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Butler County
- Increase number of learning activities experienced at home
- Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
- Increase caregiver advocacy for children in their care including legal, medical, social, and educational services
- Increase access of community services to caregivers
- Kentuckians understand the importance of developmentally appropriate play to their child’s academic success
- Increase child’s ability to express appropriate emotion
- Improve child’s gross motor skills
- Improve child’s early literacy skills including phonological awareness, print awareness, and vocabulary
- Increase awareness of indicators of high-risk adolescent behaviors
- Identify key points of adolescent development
- Establish realistic expectations for teen behavior, and explore changing relationships within families
Outcome: Kentuckians learn fun age appropriate activities to aid in their child’s healthy development.
Indicator: Number of parents who expressed learning new activities to engage their children at home.
Method: Laugh and Learn Play Dates Survey
Timeline: January - December
Outcome: Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Butler 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)
Method: Parenting a Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation
Timeline: Post program evaluation
Audience: Preschool Children and their Parents
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Laugh and Learn Play dates, Home is Where the Health Is
Inputs: FCS Agent, Library,
Date: Available February 2022
Audience: Kinship Caregivers
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Parenting a Second Time Around, Life Story/Memory Banking, Traditions, AARP Prepare to Care
Inputs: FCS Agent,
Date: Available Fall 2010
Audience: Parents
Project or Activity: Parent Classes
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Families
Inputs: FCS Agent,
Date: Ongoing July 2021 – June 2022
