PARENTS AS TEACHERS GOES COUNTYWIDE
YAVAPAI COUNTY, Arizona (August 23, 2012)- Parents as Teachers, a free home visiting program affiliated with Arizona’s Children Association and funded by First Things First, is now available countywide.
The program is designed to support families who are pregnant and/or have children ages birth to five years who are low-income, part of under-served populations, living in isolated geographic areas, or have special needs. The focus is on making sure that parents and caregivers have the information and skills they need to get their young child ready for success in school and beyond.
Through the program, families receive biweekly visits from a Parent Educator, who offers parenting education; connects families to resources they may need; and provides periodic developmental screenings in order to individualize support for all of the child’s development, including physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive skills. Parents also have a monthly opportunity to get together with other families in the program to build their system of support and participate in an educational activity with their children.
“The more tools you have in your tool belt of parenting, the better you are,” says Cassie, a resident of Cottonwood, looking at her energetic three year old son Daniel, who is dribbling a basketball with gusto. “There’s never a point where you can’t get any better at parenting.” Cassie and her family have been enrolled in Parents as Teachers since Daniel was an infant.
Parents as Teachers meets families in their environment, providing support for their specific concerns and challenges. “It’s good for them to get to know the child and work with us in our environment,” says Adriana, a Prescott resident, who just enrolled in Parents as Teachers with her three-year old son Michael.
Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher, and the job of getting kids ready for school begins the day they’re born. Since about 80% of a child’s brain develops before age three, parents are encouraged to enroll their family in Parents as Teachers as early as possible.
For more information about Parents as Teachers or to enroll, call 1-888-771-3435 X 2409. To learn more about First Things First and the importance of the early years, please visit azftf.gov/brains.
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About First Things First: Through First Things First (FTF), Arizona has committed to ensuring that our youngest kids have the tools they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Approved by voters and funded through a dedicated tax on tobacco products, FTF improves and expands early education and health services for kids birth to 5 years old. Decisions about services funded are made by 31 regional councils – local volunteers representing a diverse cross-section of the community – who know best what their kids need. The statewide FTF Board reviews all regional council recommendations to ensure that they will improve outcomes for kids and families. Our goal: to have a state where every child is “Ready for School. Set for Life.” For more information about First Things First, please visit www.azftf.gov.