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Early Head Start is a free program for low-income families with pregnant women, infants, and toddlers (ages 0-3).
PROGRAM SERVICES
DDI VANTAGE Early Head Start is a federally funded community based program, serving 60 families within Granite and Murray School district.
Home Based Services
DDI VANTAGE Early Head Start offers a home based service for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. Once a week, a trained family specialist comes into the family’s home for ninety minutes, to offer fun activities, services and information. The family specialist may focus on child development, health and safety, nutrition, reading with your child, parent education, pre-natal health education, transportation support, etc. During home visits the Family Specialist will bring activities and information that focus on goals set by the family, which are based on the individual family’s needs and interests.
To promote health and wellness in our families, we follow well-baby checks, dental exams, and immunization to encourage and educate families on prevention, early identification, and intervention. Families are given support, information, and referrals to social services that meet the needs of the family. Early Head Start provides Home Based services to 44 infants, toddlers and pregnant women in the Granite and Murray school districts.
Center Based
DDI VANTAGE Early Head Start offers a center based program in collaboration with the Young Parent Program in the Granite School District. The Young Parent Program is a high school for pregnant teens and teen parents. Through this collaboration we support the child care classes by offering a center based program. Children who attend the center based program are provided high quality child care that encourages appropriate developmental skills. Early Head Start provides services for 16 infants and toddlers at the Young Parent Program.
Socialization Activities
Families participate in different activities, interact with their peers and participate in community learning during socializations. Through our home based program we offer one activity at our building twice a month, at different times to meet the needs of our families. During socializations, at the Early Head Start building, we offer a family style meal. Once a month families enjoy a community activity and all entrance fees are covered by Early Head Start. Through our center based program we schedule activities based on the teen parents' interests and varying schedules. Transportation support is provided to families, as needed, for all activities.
Parent Committee
Parent Committee meetings are held for both home based and center based. These meetings give the families an opportunity to voice their opinions, make decisions about the activities for the program, and develop leadership skills. Parents are elected to hold the following positions: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Policy Council Representatives. The Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary are responsible for the parent committee. Through the Policy Council and Parent Committee, parents and other community representatives actively participate in the shared decision-making process concerning program design and implementation.
Fatherhood/Male Involvement Program
Father/male involvement activities are scheduled every other month. During these activities, fathers/male figures have an opportunity to interact with the child in a learning environment. Father/male figures are encouraged to participate in the activity to increase their involvement in the child’s life. Once a month family specialists bring out a handout of an activity that is developmentally appropriate for the father/child. Fathers/males are encouraged to read to their children through our father/male involvement reading program. Once a month, through this program, the father/male and child receive a free book if they read 12 times for 15 minutes during the month. |
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