NINOS Inc

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Description

The NINOS Early Head Start program started providing center-based services in 1999. The program serves 120 pregnant women, infants, and toddlers at four center sites: Brownsville ( Rancho del Cielo EHS ); Harlingen ( Texas State Technical College EHS ); Los Indios ( Los Indios EHS ); and San Benito ( Kenneth Lake EHS ). EHS program utilize multiple strategies to provide a wide range of services to participants. Children and families enrolled receive comprehensive services in a center-based setting, supplemented with home visits by the child’s teacher and other EHS staff (a minimum of two home visits a year to each family). Services include child care and development services, comprehensive health and mental health services, parenting education, nutrition education, and family support. Program Design Early Head Start focuses on what is known as the Four Cornerstones of high quality program development: Child Development, Family Partnership Development, Staff Training & Development, and Community Involvement. It is these four building blocks that provide the framework for the services offered to families and children. 1. Child Development: EHS programs must support the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development of each child. The services that programs must provide directly or through a referral include early-education services in a range of developmentally appropriate settings, home visits, parent education and parent- child activities, comprehensive health and mental health services, and high-quality child care services. * Developmental experiences geared to the individual infant/toddler * Educational sessions for pregnant women * Activities which build self-esteem, social skills, and physical skills * Atmosphere which celebrates diversity * Denver II Developmental screenings * Early Learning Accomplishment Profile (ELAP) Ongoing Assessment 2. Family Development: Programs must attempt to empower families by developing goals for themselves and their children. Staff and parents must develop individualized family development plans that focus on the child's developmental needs and the family's social and economic needs. The services that programs must provide directly or through a referral include child development information; comprehensive health and mental health services (including smoking cessation and substance abuse treatment); adult education, literacy, and job skills training; assistance in obtaining income support, safe housing, or emergency cash; and transportation to program services. * Nutritious family-style meals * Medical, dental, vision and hearing screenings * Identification of medical and dental home * Mental health and disability services * Health, nutrition, and safety education for children and families 3. Community Building: Programs are required to conduct an assessment of community resources so as to enable them to build a comprehensive network of services and supports for pregnant women and families with young children.

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