Carroll County CES

Title:

Parenting and Life Skills Development

MAP:

Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle

Agents Involved:

Joyce Doyle and Christy Eastwood

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Family Development General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Child Development General

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Family and Consumer Science

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Health

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 s synergistic effort 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. Carroll County falls below the state average at only 47% of students are ready for kindergarten according to the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development.

96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care.   Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care sitting in the county. 15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home.  In the Carroll County School System, approximately 10% of the students are involved in some type of foster care or kinship care. Kinship care providers need support.

 People are living longer. Kentucky's current population of seniors (65+) is 13.3%, a number that is expected to double in the next 40 years due to the aging Baby Boomers (post WWII babies born between 1946-1964). Approximately 25% of Kentucky's population includes Boomers, who, in 2011, started turning 65. Meanwhile, babies born in Kentucky in 2011 are projected to live to be 75 years old (3 years younger than national average). Whether it is the graying of America or extended life expectancy, aging is a lifespan process. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the changes that accompany aging and help individuals, families and communities manage the challenges and discover the positive aspects of life transitions and growing older.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Carroll County families are able to:
  • Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in the state of Kentucky
  • Improve academic success for children in Kentucky
  • Care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over

         the long term                                                                                                          
    • Practice parental leadership skills
    • Build personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life
    skills including wise decision-making
    • Embrace people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
    • Reach out with empathy to people dealing with severe stress
    • Access community resources when needed
    
    

Intermediate Outcomes:

• The number of people who:
  • Increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
  • Increase number of children who are kindergarten ready in Carroll 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 car including legal, medical, social, and educational services
  • Increase access of community services to caregivers
  • Increase the number of children who participate in outdoor or environmental education activities
  • Access community agencies and resources when needed
  • Increase healthy eating and physical movement among the older population

Initial Outcomes:

• Carroll County residents 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 (punctuation).
• Increase awareness of indicators of high-risk adolescent behaviors
• Identity key points of adolescent development
• Establish realistic expectations for teen behavior and explore changing relationships within families
• Increase awareness of healthy living among older adults

Evaluation:

Outcome: Improved personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making; adjust and maintain environmental factors to promote independent aging

Long-term.

Indicator: Increased positive parent/caregiver and child interactions; improved quality of life from change in home environment and increase physical activity and caregiver knowledge

Number of caregivers reporting improved gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and early literacy skills with their child.

Method: Surveys, evaluations, testimonials, informal feedback; observation, informal feedback, surveys, evaluations

Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Kindergarten Readiness Results.

Timeline: 2-4 months following end of program; on a yearly basis

Outcome:

Intermediate.

Indicator:

Number of children increasing their ability to express emotion.

Method:

Survey (Stories, Songs, and Stretches)

Timeline

1 – 1 ½ years

Outcome:

Initial.

Indicator:

Number of parents who express learning new activities to engage their children at home.  Number of caregivers improving skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy.

Method:

Survey (Laugh and Learn Play Dates).  Evaluation (Parenting a Second Time Around)

Timeline:

8 months – 2 years

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:

Preschool-Aged Children and Parents

Project or Activity:

Laugh and Learn Playdates

Content or Curriculum:

Laugh and Learn Playdates

Inputs:

FCS Agent, Carroll County Public Library, Early childhood Development Program, Carroll County Preschool 

Date(s):

September, October, November 2023/January, February, March, April, May 2024

Audience:

Kinship Caregivers

Project or Activity:

Relatives Raising Relatives Support Group

Content or Curriculum:

Parenting a Second Time Around, Life Story/Memory Banking, Traditions, AARP Prepare to Care 

Inputs:

FCS Agent, Extension Staff, AARP, Community Volunteers, UK Publications, Money, Time

Date(s):

Fall 2023

Spring 2024

Audience:

Carroll County Senior Center Participants

Project or Activity:

Monthly nutrition lessons

Content or Curriculum:

MyPlate, NEP curriculum

Inputs:

FCS Extension Agent, Time, Money

Date(s):

July, August, September, October, November, December 2023

Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June 2024

Audience:

Carroll County Youth and Parents

Project or Activity:

4-H Volunteers and Homemakers

Content or Curriculum:

4-H Project Books

Inputs:

Extension Agents, Staff Assistant, Volunteers, 4-H Project Books, Time, Money

Date(s):

March thru December 2023

January thru September 2024

Audience:

Carroll County Youth, 5^th Grade

Project or Activity:                  

Dollars and Sense

Content or Curriculum:          

Dollars and Sense Facilitator Guide

Inputs:                                     

Extension Agents, Extension Staff, Volunteers, UK Publications, Carroll County Middle School Staff, Money, Time

Date(s):                                   

March 2023

March 2024

Success Stories