Child and Family Connection

Description

In 1982, concerned members of the Greater Williamsburg community recognized the need for services for working families that would link them to child care and resources to nurture children's positive development. During the past 25 years the agency has undergone significant changes to keep parents and caregivers aware of services within this community to serve children.

So how has the agency changed during the past 25 years?

• Use of a database to collect standardized information on resources that nurture children's positive development including licensed child care centers and family child care, pre-schools, Mom's mornings out, family child care that is pre-screened, financial resources for child care.

• Parents can access information in person, by phone , fax, email or through the website www.childandfamilyconnection.org

• Providing training for family child care at a low cost to support their program improvement on behalf of the children they serve.

• Now a member of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies and the Virginia Child Care Resource and Referral Network.

• In 2002 merged with the Center for Child & Family Services, Inc so that local parents and child care personnel can work with licensed clinical staff through workshops, observations, consultation, and behavior plans.

• In 2005/2006 Child and Family Connection was contacted by 1128 families compared to 631 in 2004/2005.

• During this growth in clients the staff has remained a 1 full time and two part time employees, one who is a MSW. The College of W&M provided 5 interns to support the program in the past year.