Connections For Children

Santa monica program - connections for children provides a variety of services to residents of santa monica under a contract with the city's human services division. Staff worked with 512 families to help them select child care programs in santa monica that meet their needs. The program provided financial assistance for 210 santa monica children from 158 low-income families to attend child care programs within the city. Weekly early learning play groups were conducted for a total of 124 children and 107 adults, including parents, other relatives, and caregivers.

Quality start - this program provides training and coaching services to assist child care providers with the skills to build expertise in best practices for child care. It provides one to one mentoring and technical assistance to child care professionals and early childhood educators. Professional development coaches worked with 138 teachers and administrative staff across 204 center-based programs and family childcare homes to provide 429 customized coaching hours.

Other child care programs consist of: (a) emergency child care bridgeprogram provided enhanced referrals and child care subsidies to 61families to support 74 children in the foster care system. (b) preventive health and safety programs facilitated 5 trainings, for a total of 35 hours - 30 participants attended. C) resource and referral program helped 7,395 parents/caregivers receive child care information and referrals. D)connections for children facilitated 44 early care and education professional development trainings for a total of 90 hours - 155 participants attended.