CHILD CARE TASK FORCE DELIVERS!
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First 5 Kern, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Resource and Referral department, Kern Early Stars as well as Community Connection for child care have teamed up to form a Child Care Task Force with the goal of helping support child care providers who are struggling to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Check out
the team in action
, dodging the rain drops to help get much-needed items into the hands of several child care providers.
Due to the availability of certain items, the shipment represented only a partial order, with more supplies on the way. Providers that remain open for children of essential workers can learn more about receiving items from the KCSOS Resource and Referral Department at 661-861-5200.
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Community Connection online child care referral system
Looking for childcare? During the pandemic or once it's over, Community Connection for Child Care (CCCC) has a great online portal for parents.
Simply complete the form, and the site sends back a list of programs that fit the criteria indicated. The CCCC staff is updating the site as much as possible, pertaining to which are currently operating and potentially accepting new kids.
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Health guidelines for childcare programs during COVID-19
The Kern County Department of Public Health has compiled guidelines from various sources for workers and operators of child care facilities to stay healthy and safe during the pandemic.
This link below takes you to a page featuring Center for Disease Control, Calif. Department of Education and Calif. Department of Public Health recommendations that could prove useful at this time.
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First 5 Kern welcomes Judd, Nilon to the Commission
Two new commissioners have joined First 5 Kern, both making their debut at the April commission meeting. John Nilon, former Kern County Adminitrative Officer and Russell Judd, Chief Executive Officer of Kern Medical.
They join the panel of nine community leaders, forming a commission designed to have unique insight into both the challenges facing families with young children, as well as the services available to them.
"We're pleased and honored to have both of these gentlemen serving on our Commission," said
First 5 Kern Executive Director Roland Maier
. "Their knowledge and experience will be beneficial to helping us serve the children and families of our county."
Stepping down from the Commission after the completion of their terms are two longstanding representatives in Al Sandrini and Susan Larude. Commissioner Sandrini has served since 2010, including a two-year stint as Chairperson, while Commissioner Larude has served since 2015 and most recently chaired the Technical Advisory Committee.
Please join us in thanking them for their service on the commission, and welcoming our new commissioners to the fold!
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They said it...
"I recognize the important role that First 5 Kern plays in appropriately funding programs that serve our most vulnerable population. I want to ensure that they get all the services they need, in order to set them up for a long and productive life. I'm grateful we spend our money on the young!"
- Russell Judd, CEO for Kern Medical
and new First 5 Kern Commissioner
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Trauma-Informed Kern County training moves online
Resilient Kern - otherwise known as Trauma Informed Kern County - has begun a third year of training.
Working through Zoom, recent sessions focus on Self-Care During COVID-19. Sessions are limited in participation due to the ease of training across a digital platform, and are also shorter in length.
Watch for information on upcoming trainings and opportunities to participate, as we work together to change the lens with which we provide services to the families and children in our community, and work together to foster a more
resilient Kern
County.
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First 5 Kern connects with local leaders in Sacramento through 'Virtual Advocacy Day'
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Sidelined from making the annual trip to Sacramento for Advocacy Day, First 5s throughout California got creative with our statewide representatives. "Virtual Advocacy Day" took place on April 21, and First 5 Kern's participation included meetings with Assemblymembers Vince Fong and Devon Mathis, and Elizabeth Watson, legislative director for Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove.
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Kern County nearly 50% on Census self-response rate
The 2020 Census is working hard to make sure everyone is counted. Right now, in the absence of community and family resource centers utilizing their Census Questionaire Action Kiosks to help the numbers, our community is relying on self-response rates.
Kern County is nearing the 50% self-response threshold, narrowly trailing other Central Valley counties and the state as a whole (on the map pictured, the lighter/bluer the area, the higher the self-response rate).
A decade ago the final self-response number for Kern County reached 62.5%. Keep counting (and don't forget to count your kids)!
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Did you know...
Kern County For every child (or other person) missed by the Census, our county misses out on nearly
$2,000 per year
in federal funding for childhood programs such as school lunches, WIC, Head Start, special education, and many more. Because the Census only takes place every ten years, for every child the Census misses in Kern County, that's approximately $20,000 we do not receive for these important programs.
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Help Me Grow Kern County developmental screenings are available during COVID-19 shutdown
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Help Me Grow Kern County is working hard to increase the number of children in our community who receive timely developmental screenings.
Now may be a perfect time for parents to take advantage of this free service. The two screenings can take as little as a half hour. The screenings can be done by parents themselves online (through the link below) or over the phone with a developmental specialist through 2-1-1 Kern County.
Help Me Grow Kern County utilizes the Ages & Stages Questionnnaire (ASQ-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaire – Social & Emotional (ASQ-SE-2). The screenings provide reliable, accurate, developmental and social-emotional screening for children between birth and age 6. Drawing on parents’ expert knowledge, ASQ has been specifically designed to pinpoint developmental progress and catch delays in young children—paving the way for meaningful next steps in learning, intervention, or monitoring.
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Did you know...
Each week, First 5 Kern scours the internet locally, nationally and globally to find the top stories on news impacting children 0-5 and their families. Put into one convenient email, each Friday we sent them out straight to your inbox.
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