San Benito agency to host information meeting June 5
Eligible early educators that are interested in participating in
the CARES Plus program are invited to an orientation on July 5.
from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m to be held at the First 5 office, 1011 Line
Street, Ste. 9, in Hollister. CARES staff and advisors will present
information about CARES Plus funding. The presentation and program
will be offered in both English and Spanish.
San Benito agency to host information meeting June 5
Eligible early educators that are interested in participating in the CARES Plus program are invited to an orientation on July 5. from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m to be held at the First 5 office, 1011 Line Street, Ste. 9, in Hollister. CARES staff and advisors will present information about CARES Plus funding. The presentation and program will be offered in both English and Spanish.
First 5 San Benito and the San Benito County Local Planning Council will lead in the planning and implementation of the San Benito County CARES Plus Program (CARES) beginning on July 1. The CARES Plus program is designed to improve the quality of child care in San Benito County by offering incentives to child care providers to complete professional development programs such as child-centered workshops or class credits and degrees in early education coursework. Stipends available for professional development range from $1,000 to $2,000.
“Our children are our most valuable resource and by investing in the CARES program we are enabling child care providers to offer the necessary care to help children reach their greatest potential in school and in life,” said Lisa Faulkner , Executive Director of First 5 San Benito.
Last October, First 5 hosted more than 60 local leaders and elected officials who gathered to prioritize the needs that exist in San Bento County. The San Benito Children and Families Data Profile provided the basis for identifying areas of strength and areas of need in the community. This report was developed as a tool for use in developing strategies and policies to improve the lives of San Benito County’s young children and their families.
Based on the data of the report and feedback from the community leaders, quality childcare was cited as the No. 1 concern for the families of San Benito. In 2009, the number of children on the “Wait List” for child care was 859.
The goal of First 5 San Benito is aligned with First 5 California’s effort to improve the quality of interactions between early educators and children. First 5 will provide matching funds to target the objectives of San Benito CARES which will provide professional development opportunities that are intensive, sustained, and focused on programs that have proven to be successful in our local programs.
While the need for college education is evident, in San Benito County statistics indicate that more than 50 percent of the populations has less than 9-12 years of education and no diploma. First 5 San Benito will align the local program objectives with current research, and target the relationship a child has with a teacher or caregiver as the central and most critical component of child care quality. Early childcare providers that are not currently seeking an Early Childcare Education (ECE) degree will be encouraged to increase their ECE units and participate in CARES if they are currently working in a licensed facility. However, it is also the intention to attract and provide incentives to those seeking an ECE degree and Child Development Permits.
For more information on First 5 San Benito Children and Families Commission and its programs, call 634-2046 or visit www.first5sanbenito.org.
