4C Miami Valley receives family, friend and neighbor grant

(June 2008) 4C Miami Valley recently received a grant for a Family, Friend and Neighbor Care (FFN) program for outreach to individuals who care for children in their homes informally. These settings are not regulated by the county or state and often do not receive the support they need to provide learning opportunities for the children in their care. Children in this type of care are less likely to be exposed to enriching activities and opportunities that enable them to achieve milestones identified as crucial for learning, according to the Ohio Department of Education's Early Learning Content Standards. As a result, children are at risk of entering Kindergarten unprepared to learn.

4C will provide support to these providers through education, technical assistance and referrals. The grant will allow 4C to hire a part time staff member who will visit these homes, serve as a mentor and provide support and referrals. 4C received a $30,000 grant that will be renewed each year for three years for these services. The Family, Friend and Neighbor Care outreach program will serve a population that has not been reached in the Miami Valley region.