Programs

The Children’s Center offers a continuum of care, from pregnancy through preschool, to support our families during the crucial early childhood years. We view our role as partnering with parents to foster the healthy development of their children, whether through high-quality childcare at one of our centers, home visits that empower parents to meet their own goals, or therapeutic services that focus on a child’s unique developmental needs.

No matter the program, our aim remains the same: to nurture children of all abilities and their families with care, support, and community.

Our family-focused programs take place at our childcare centers, in our families’ homes, and in our community. Our centers host high-quality childcare programs for infants through preschoolers, including children with disabilities and developmental delays. Experienced staff also visit pregnant moms and families of young children in their homes to provide parenting information and screenings to support development. Early Intervention and Pediatric Therapy services are offered at our centers, in homes, or in our communities.

Many of our programs have waiting lists, and some are available at no or low cost to eligible families.

We are more than daycare.

As a Virginia Quality-rated program, we go beyond state regulations to ensure the best care and education for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Our well-trained staff uses a research-based curriculum to focus on developing the “whole child”—looking at each child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual health. Some of our centers are open 10+ hours a day to meet the needs of working parents.

Our families benefit from:

• Low child-teacher ratios.
• Nutritious meals and snacks at no additional cost.
• Intentional play spaces for imagination, exploration, and skill development.
• Regular developmental checkpoints to ensure children stay on track.
• An inclusive environment that celebrates diversity in all its forms.

Every kid deserves a strong start.

Early Head Start has three main goals: to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for expectant families, enhance the development of very young children, and promote the well-being of families. And we do so at no cost to qualifying families who are expecting or have children under the age of 3.

We support families with:

• Regular visits to prenatal moms to ensure they have everything they need to deliver a healthy baby.
• Year-round, center-based childcare, including nutritious meals, for kids from 6 weeks to 3 years.
• Supportive weekly home visits for families whose home is the child’s primary learning environment.
• Developmental screenings for all children, treatment for those with developmental delays or disabilities, plus support for parents.
• Family Partners who ensure parents have what they need to meet their goals for their children and their family.

Children build success on top of a solid foundation.

That’s where Head Start comes in. We help parents prepare their children for a successful school experience—at no cost to families with low income and children between the ages of 3 and 5.

We promote school readiness with:

• Center-based childcare (following a typical school-year calendar).
• Strong teacher-child interactions that allow for individualized learning plans.
• Nutritious meals and snacks.
• Regular developmental checkpoints to ensure children stay on track.
• Support for children with developmental delays or disabilities.
• Family Support staff who ensure parents have what they need to meet their goals for their children and themselves.

Each child develops differently.

We offer on-site or at-home therapeutic services, including speech therapy and occupational therapy, for qualifying children with developmental delays or disabilities—often at no or low cost to parents.

In Early Intervention, we work collaboratively with families and childcare providers, offering hands-on coaching in the child’s natural environment, in harmony with the child’s daily routine. While Early Intervention ends at a child’s third birthday, we also offer standard outpatient pediatric services until age 21.

The Children’s Center houses the Infant Toddler Connection of Western Tidewater, the starting point for families who are referred for Early Intervention and related services.

We find strength in being together.
The Children’s Center hosts support groups for individuals and families facing specific challenges.

We offer a monthly Grief Support Group for parents after the death of a child. The group meets monthly to share stories and spend time with people who understand. We also sponsor an annual candlelight service, potluck dinners, and special events throughout the year. Email rcutchins@childrenscenterva.com for more information or to connect with a bereaved parent.

The Children’s Center’s SAFE (Support and Family Education) Program brings together individuals dealing with mental health challenges, as well as those who care about someone living with mental illness. Combining education and support, the group meets monthly via Zoom. Email rcutchins@childrenscenterva.com for more information.

Early childhood programs like ours have a tremendous ripple effect. Research tells us that every dollar we put into high-quality birth-to-five programs for disadvantaged children yields an average return of $13 a year. That’s because children who receive quality early childhood education achieve more academic and professional success and have less need for social and health interventions later in life.

That’s an incredible return on investment. We hope you’ll consider supporting our programs, knowing that your dollars are returning to our community in myriad ways. And changing lives and families in the process.