Child Care Connection
In 2011, CF’s supported the work of the Child Care Connection to increase the knowledge base of staff at five (5) family child care centers and five (5) family child care home providers about an obesity prevention Training sessions were held for 66 staff at the centers and family child care provider locations, 26 technical assistance visits to the centers and homes were conducted and materials were purchased and shared which resulted in quality improvements in nutrition-related practices (serving more fresh foods, limiting high fat and high sugar foods, limiting TV viewing and increasing physical activities) impacting 278 children. In addition, Classroom assessments were conducted for the purpose of making recommendations for quality improvements using the Environmental Rating Scales (ERS). A total of 24 technical assistance visits were conducted to implement quality improvements and six (6) training sessions were conducted which resulted in improvements in curriculum, developmentally appropriate practices, classroom schedules and room arrangement impacting 135 children.
Reach Out and Read
Since 2005, CF has supported improved early literacy efforts in Trenton through administration of the evidence-based Reach Out and Read (ROR) program. Parents’ involvement in their children’s reading has been found to be the most important determinant of language and emergent literacy.
Through the ROR program, Trenton parents and expectant parents have been educated on the importance of reading to young children, been engaged in the reading process, and have received age-appropriate books to share with their children. During this time:
- Nearly 47,000 books have been distributed through 11 participating physicians’ offices in Trenton
- Almost 100 volunteers have been trained to model reading for parents in physicians’ waiting rooms
- CF’s success in Trenton has been cited by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ) as the reason it directed $300,000 to provide each of the 44 Reach Out and Read (ROR) sites in New Jersey with 1,000 new books for distribution to families each year for three years