Early Years Project

Last week our Guidance Center’s Early Years Project presented findings at a Cambridge Health Alliance Poster Session. The findings were from the pilot phase of their program evaluation, where they administered parent surveys to determine the effectiveness of the program. One of the survey’s conclusions was that parents who participated felt “better able to help [their] child since the Early Years Project consultation.” Great to hear that this new program is creating change with these families!

The Early Years Project was developed to support children (infants through age six) and their families by working with the early childhood communities that care for them.  It is a collaboration that includes The Guidance Center (a service of Riverside Community Care), the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Community Partnerships for Children, The Cambridge Public Schools and the Cambridge Health Alliance. Our child development consultants provide many services such as classroom management support and modeling different ways of working with hard to manage behaviors.  The consultants also meet with staff or parents/guardians to offer ideas to support them in the classroom or at home, provide resources and referrals for specialized services, and more.

Recently the Early Years Project was presented with a case where a three year old girl in family child care was frequently aggressive towards other children, expressed negativity about her peers and about coming to school.  The Early Years Project consultant worked with her, the child care provider, and her parents with a goal of helping the little girl develop patience and positive peer/sibling relationships.  Strategies included making some changes at home, giving her alternative ways for her to use her hands and making a ‘social story’ with the child about how to handle her anger. Both the parents and the family child care provider have seen a huge improvement in her behavior!

Any child care center or family day care program is welcome to utilize the Early Years Project if the program operates in Cambridge. For more information, or to enroll in this program, please contact Megan Postal at mpostal@riversidecc.org

~Scott M. Bock, President/CEO