SINCLAIRVILLE, N.Y.:-- The Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene (CCDMH) had the opportunity to partner with Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI), the Child Care Council for Chautauqua County, for this fall’s Head Start faculty and staff training at Park United Methodist Church in Sinclairville, N.Y.
Rachel Ludwig of CCDMH and Tapestry Resilience Initiative shared strategies for family engagement for faculty and staff. Ludwig’s presentation included content from ZeroToThree’s Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, Breathe For Change Social Emotional Facilitation and the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning curriculums.
According to its website, https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/, Head Start places children at the heart of meaningful engagement. The education presented supported evidence-based best practices to foster positive and goal-oriented relationships among children, families, caregivers, and program staff. Attendees received references, workbooks, and local resources related to the topics covered.
“Some of the resources and discussions focused on the importance of self-care,” said Ludwig. “It may seem off-track to do this as part of family engagement – but truly – being self–aware, creative and reflective are part of taking on the shared goal of supporting children and families. That all relates directly to family engagement.”
Sue Marker, Beth Faulkner, and Rebecca Reed of COI assisted through Ludwig’s presentation. The Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) is a resource hub for families, childcare professionals, and communities. CCR&Rs increase access to high-quality, affordable child care by providing many different services, from training like today to help families find child care; providing support, education, and resources to child care providers; to gathering research on child care needs and trends to inform community members and policymakers.
The goal of the Tapestry Resilience Initiative is to provide safe and engaging trauma-informed services to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders; identify and address concerns as early as possible; and strengthen the existing collaboration among community groups and forge effective coordination to provide the needed supports and services for children, youth, and their families. This collaboration with COI is an excellent example of this coordination.
To learn more about the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene or Tapestry Resilience Initiative, visit chqgov.com/mental-hygiene. To learn more about Head Start and other local child care options, visit https://www.chautauquaopportunities.com/ or call 716-366-3333.
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