Early Learning and School Readiness
The first years of life are crucial to children’s health, brain development and future. Early experiences affect learning, as well as the social and emotional development that are of fundamental importance to children’s well-being and future success. What children know and can do when they start school helps determine their success in the classroom and the workplace—and throughout their lives.
In fact, early care and education experiences-whether at home or in out-of-home settings-play a significant role in shaping children’s readiness to succeed in the classroom and throughout their lives. Years of research confirm this, yet studies also tell us that mediocre or poor quality programs rarely achieve positive results. In fact, they may be harmful to children. So the key to ensuring that children achieve strong, positive outcomes-physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually-is found in developing and sustaining high-quality programs and in making them available to all children.
Ohio’s early childhood programs and services are delivered through a wide variety of public and private programs. Information about the various programs for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children can be found under the following headings:
The Ohio Department of Education (ODE), Office of Early Learning & School Readiness (ELSR)
Website: www.ode.state.oh.us
ELSR and ODE oversees all aspects of state and federally funded early childhood programs, for children age 3 through kindergarten. The oversight includes:
Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (CCBMRDD)
Website: www.ccbmrdd.org
CCBMRDD provides early childhood programs and services designed for children from birth through age five and their families. The programs include supportive home services, center-based programs for toddlers and preschoolers and parent-child programs.
Help Me Grow (HMG)
Website: www.helpmegrow.org
Help Me Grow of Cuyahoga County provides a variety of services for families and children, prenatal to age three:
- Prenatal home visits
- Newborn visits from a registered nurse
- Home visiting services to give information and suggestions to parents of infants and toddlers
- Free screening to address concerns about your child’s development
- Links to specialized services for your child
- Family support services
Ohio Help Me Grow
Website: www.ohiohelpmegrow.org
Ohio Help Me Grow is a program for expectant parents, newborns, infants and toddlers that provide health and developmental services so children start school healthy and ready to learn. Help Me Grow provides the building blocks for success for Ohio’s families.
National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)
Website: www.naccrra.org
NACCRRA works with over 800 state and local Child Care Resource & Referral agencies to ensure that families in every local community have access to high-quality, affordable child care.
Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (OCCRRA)
Website: www.occrra.org
OCCRRA promotes the positive development of all children, especially those in out-of-home learning environments. Each OCCRRA agency provides services to families, early childhood professionals and communities throughout Ohio.
Starting Point for Child Care and Early Education
Website: www.starting-point.org
Starting Point is Northeast Ohio’s child care resource and referral agency service families, early childhood professionals and the community. The agency serves Ashtabula, Cuyahoga Geauga and Lake Counties.
National Head Start
Website: www.naccrra.org
National Head Start an agency operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, Administration for Children and Families. Head Start serves the child development needs of preschool children (birth through age five) and their low income families.
Council for Economic Opportunity in Greater Cleveland
Website: www.ceogc.org
(CEOGC) Head Start—The CEOGC Children and Families Program is composed of two early childhood programs that benefit the entire family – Head Start and Early Head Start. Through these two programs, CEOGC provides comprehensive educational, health, dental, nutritional, social and developmental services to economically disadvantaged children and their families. |