Catholic Charities Child Care Dedicated to School Readiness and Serving the Entire Family
Agency today joined early childhood community for advocacy day at State House; Programs provide opportunities for all children and families to thrive
BOSTON (March 20, 2007) … Operating under the philosophy that children should be provided with the opportunities they deserve and that parents should be active participants in their child’s learning, Catholic Charities provides comprehensive child care programs in 9 centers and 100 family child care homes throughout Eastern Massachusetts. All programs are dedicated to promoting school readiness and strive to serve the entire family, children as well as their parents. The agency today joined the early childhood community for Early Education and Care & School Age Programs Advocacy Day at the Massachusetts State House.
“Many children are waiting for quality early education and care,” said Mary Ann Anthony, director of Catholic Charities Child Care Division. “Today we joined organizations from the early childhood community to advocate and educate legislators about this need for low-income families. We asked them to continue supporting our work.”
Through its Child Care Division, Catholic Charities provides these important services to more than 1,200 children each year, ages four weeks to 12 years old. Services offered include infant and toddler care, pre-school and pre-kindergarten education, kindergarten, and after-school programs. These programs are designed to support and nurture children’s curiosity and learning, enabling them to explore, experiment, and create their own understanding of themselves and the world they encounter. They focus on each individual child’s emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Programs also offer a variety of activities that encourage their social growth, both in a group setting and independently.
Catholic Charities child care programs also provide for children with special needs. By focusing on their strengths, our classroom teachers and family child care providers address a variety of behaviors children experience, including attachment issues, depression, poor social skills, and learning disorders. These children are supported by social workers on staff who provide weekly on-site assessments, play therapy, and mental health consultation. Social workers, teachers, and providers work together to help these children thrive in the classroom.
Teachers and providers also are aware of the issues and challenges facing families. Some families are experiencing the stresses of low income, poor housing, and cultural barriers. Others are teen parents or have special needs themselves.
“We believe that parents are a child’s primary teacher, so we work with the entire family in order to promote their child’s development at home and encourage their success in school,” Anthony said. “When parents’ needs are met, they are better able to support their children throughout their educational careers.”
Catholic Charities child care programs support parents through parent education workshops that address topics such as child growth and development, discipline, and reading with children. When needed, referrals are made to community services as well as to other Catholic Charities services, including food pantries and emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities through the agency’s Basic Needs Emergency Services. Parents also may be referred to one of Catholic Charities parent support, adult education, or job training programs.
Catholic Charities child care centers are located in Boston’s South End, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Lynn, Malden, North Cambridge, Peabody, Somerville, and South Boston.
Family child care programs – early education and care in licensed homes for infants, toddlers, and pre-school age children – are located in Cambridge, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Peabody, and Somerville.
For more information, visit Catholic Charities website at www.ccab.org.
About Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston
For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has continued its mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people. The agency provides approximately 140 programs and services throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Our services respond to the needs of the poor and working poor, provide supportive services to children and families, and assist refugees and immigrants as they become active participants in their communities. Last year, Catholic Charities served nearly 200,000 people in need of all faiths. To discover more of our work, visit www.ccab.org.
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