4Cs William K. Johsnon, Healdsburg Tribune Article
02/17/2011 -
Infant development center assists teens, low income moms
Program operated by county 4Cs on shaky financial footing
By Robin Hug
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 2:54 PM PST
The W.K. Johnson Infant Development Center was awarded a $4,500 grant last month by The Community Foundation Sonoma County Healdsburg Area that will go toward the $20,000 goal for this years’ operating costs.
The WKJ center is one of 13 child development centers operated by the Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County (4Cs) and funded by the California State Department of Education to provide childcare to young mothers that are finishing high school and to low-income families in Healdsburg.
“We are faced with whether or not we are able to keep this center open since we are not able to operate with the money from the state only,” said Community Relations Director of 4Cs Mira Wonderwheel, who wrote the grant for the center.
Of the 13 centers offering childcare, WKJ is the only infant/toddler program whose priority for enrollment is teen parents. The center is also the only one in its group to offer infant care.
“We earn the funding based on the number of children attending the program but with infant/toddler centers we have a higher teacher-to-child ratio than preschool age centers,” explained Wonderwheel.
Paired with requirements for more teachers, the center also has expenses that total over 40 percent of what the state reimburses them for the program. With operating costs being higher at WKJ than the other facilities, it increases their risk for closure.
“Because we believe quality care for infants and toddlers is so important, 4Cs has been offsetting the loss with agency reserves, but this year the agency had to cut across our overall budget,” Wonderwheel said about now having to turn to the community for support.
Wonderwheel has recently begun meeting with service groups around Healdsburg to discuss the importance of the center and how community members and organizations can help keep the facility open.
“It’s supporting teen parents to go and get an education and it also provides the foundation for low-income at risk toddlers to achieve success,” said Wonderwheel.
The 4Cs program provides play-based-education for children by creating an environment and activities that promote cognitive and physical development. Daily activities include writing, science, books, puzzles, blocks, art and music. Areas throughout the center are set up for dramatic play, physical movement and sensory activities.
The center is also used for high school students to earn credit in child development courses by working in the facility. The students learn about infant care and toddler development through the play-based structure.
“It is an extremely difficult time. Childcare is expensive and infant care is even more expensive because it requires more teachers,” said Dana Dunne, the site supervisor at WKJ.
Dunne and several other teachers have been working at WKJ since it opened 16 years ago and have never had to worry about funding for the program in the past.
“This year with the financial crunch and childcare being in question by the state, it has become a real issue as to where future funding will come from,” said Dunne.
With the help of the 4Cs, the center is looking to raise another $15,000 in donations to continue to serve the 15 infants and toddlers currently enrolled for 2011.
Donations can be made to 4Cs of Sonoma County online at www.sonoma4cs.org or by calling 544-3077.
Staff writer Robin Hug can be reached at robin@hbgtrib.com.
Related Links:
4Cs WKJ Infant Development Center Assists Teens
© 2010 Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County, Inc. All Rights Reserved.