Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. Throughout the day, though, young children are cared for in many settings. While some are cared for in their own home, some go to licensed child care. A surprising number of small children are being cared for by friends, neighbors, and family members. First 5 FUNdamentals partners increase resources to all these children through:
- Sharing resources
- Building trust
- Decreasing isolation experienced by people caring for children
- Giving referrals
- Creating links between kindergartens, parents, and child care providers
- Increasing awareness
- Reducing competition among services
- Decreasing duplication of services
- Leveraging funding
- Forming new ideas and inspiring each other
According to Dr. Bette Hyde, Director of the Washington State Department of Early Learning, the First 5 FUNdamentals system is “cutting edge.”