Advancing the Quality of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care

EPTSS:

CCCC Family, Friend & Neighbor Program

Family, friend and neighbor caregivers include grandparents, aunts and uncles, other elders, older siblings, friends and neighbors, who help care for young children. Many families prefer this form of care due to cultural and language considerations making family, friend and neighbor caregivers an essential part of the child care "system."

The Family, Friend & Neighbor Program provides early childhood training and support to all family, friend and neighbor caregivers throughout Kern County in ways that will enhance the quality of care to young children and make good beginnings last a lifetime.

Creating New Opportunities for Learning

Workshops
 Babies are born learning. Children’s earliest experiences and relationships make a huge difference in the way their brains develop. Caregivers, like parents, have a significant impact on young children’s development. It is important that all caregivers understand that time spent with young children can positively affect each child’s growth and development.

Family, Friend and Neighbor Program offers workshops each month tailored to needs of local family, friend, and neighbor care providers in both English and Spanish. The workshops are designed in a format and with schedules that make it easier for providers to become involved.

The following 1.5 hour workshops are currently available:

  • Family Support, Guidance and Discipline
  • Safety, Health and Nutrition

    Workshops will be held throughout the year and providers are welcome to attend as many as they want. Providers who complete each workshop will be eligible to receive a free incentive to compliment the training he/she received.

    Make & Take Get Togethers
     The program also offers Make & Take Get Togethers where providers can learn how to use the CCCC Resource Library to make learning games and books to take home and get ideas on low and no-cost activities to do with children. Held the first Friday of each month, providers receive free craft supplies and a coupon for free laminating at the Resource Library.

    Caregivers are invited to bring the children in their care to all Family, Friend and Neighbor Program workshops and Make & Takes. Child care is provided by Family, Friend and Neighbor Program staff and children will be playing with toys and materials from the CCCC Resource Library.

    Technical Assistance
     The Family, Friend & Neighbor Program provides technical assistance to family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in the areas of child development, health, safety and nutrition. The program assists caregivers with CCCC child care paperwork and helps caregivers who wish to obtain their child care license in addition to sharing other available community training and support resources.

    There are dozens of “teachable moments” everyday in which family, friend and neighbor caregivers can help children develop skills that lay the foundation for school readiness. For more information or to sign up for a workshop, contact the Family, Friend and Neighbor Program at 661.861.5251.

    Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregiver Toolkit


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    Food Program greyarrow: Child Care Job Bank greyarrow: CCCC Training Calendar greyarrow: Local Investment In Child Care (LINCC) greyarrow: Resource Lending Library greyarrow: Resource & Referral (R&R) greyarrow: License-Exempt Provider Program