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Tag Archive: early intervention

  1. Early Intervention Becomes a Lifetime of Success

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    Virginia’s Early Intervention programs (called the Infant and Toddler Connection in most communities) are at risk of facing a funding shortfall and potentially will not be able to all serve all of the infant and toddlers who quality for services. Early Intervention helps to identify infants and toddlers who are experiencing delays in their development (those who are about 3 months behind developmental milestones or more) and will connect them and their families to therapeutic services. This system is experiencing a shortfall as number of infants and toddlers identified for services has increased while on-going state and federal funding has remained flat.

    The increase in the number of infants and toddlers identified is certainly a good sign that early intervention works and those who could benefit are seeking help. Even with the increase, Virginia serves less than 3% of infants and toddlers in the state, while it is estimated that approximately 13% of infants and toddlers have the types of delays that could make them eligible to receive services.

    It is critical that these infants and toddlers that are few months behind their peers have the opportunity to catch up. What seems like a relatively small delay can lead to more significant delays if not caught and treated early on. Every month that a child and their family must put off receiving services leads to more frustration for the child, and the families.

    We know early intervention works because families have shared their stories of success and how it has made a lasting impact for their family. But don’t take my word for it. You can hear from Erin & Arlo “I don’t know what we’d do without early intervention” 

    If you family has been impacted by early intervention services please get in contact with us about sharing your success story at a budget hearing or submitting your story to us in advance.

  2. Unified ECE Legislative Agenda- Meet Virginia’s Workforce of 2025

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    Our future rests on these shoulders. While you may see a five year old above, in just 15 years, he will be entering Virginia’s workforce. The opportunity to put him on a path towards success right now and will pay off when he enters the workforce later.

    Voices joins with 12 other organizations representing young children and their families in defining an Early Care and Education Legislative Agenda. This agenda demonstrates how investing in young children will lead to more prepared workforce. The organizations supporting this agenda represent a unified voice among children’s advocates to support opportunities that have demonstrated success.

    Two priorities top of the 2013 Agenda:

    1. Restoring funding to evidenced based home visiting services, CHIP/Parents as Teachers and Healthy Families to pre-recession levels.

    2. Funding the budget shortfall in early intervention services to ensure that young children  with developmental delays reach their full potential.

    In addition to these priorities, we hope the legislature will support access to child care for working families, continuing to expand the Virginia Preschool Initiative and support regional coalitions through the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.

    Members of the Early Childhood Policy Action Network include:

    Child Care Aware Virginia

    Child Development Resources

    CHIP of Virginia/Parents As Teachers

    Just Children/Legal Aid Justice Center

    Prevent Child Abuse Virginia/Healthy Families Virginia

    Smart Beginnings Historic Triangle

    Virginia Alliance of Family Child Care Providers

    Virginia Association of Community Services Boards

    Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education (VAECE)

    Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH)

    Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics

    Virginia Head Start Association