The Key Connection Week of September 9, 2013

Look What’s in This

Week’s Edition

Mark Your Calendars

Professional Development At A Glance

Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance

Announcing….

New ECELS Website

ECELS Health Capsule

2013-2014 Northeast Key Exchanges Coming Soon!

Calling All Directors

Setting the Stage for Quality Curriculum

Infant/Toddler Corner

It’s Time!

2013-2014 Keystone STARS Grants

ERS Expiration Dates?

STAR Standards

Focus on Early Childhood Mental Health

Infant/Toddler Newsletter

Information for Families

The Childcare Transition – Preparing Yourself and Your Child

Submit Children’s Stories to be Recognized During PA’s Promise Month!

Special Kids Network

Mark Your Calendars!

Here are some important dates to remember

September 2013

16 National Play Doh Day

October 2013

5 Tioga County Conference

6-12 Fire Prevention Week

11 Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day

12 Lackawanna County Conference

14 Columbus Day

14 Berks County Columbus Day Conference

22-24 ECE Summit

November 2013

Child Safety Protection Month

11 Veteran’s Day

12 Young Reader’s Day

16 Infant-Toddler Conference

28 Thanksgiving Day

Professional Development Corner

Northeast Regional Key Funded Coursework for 2013-14

Low Tuition Costs! Register Today!

See registration details on calendar at www.pakeys.org

The list of Colleges and Courses that are available

are posted on the CSC website under the Professional Development Section

Lehigh Carbon Community College

Fall 2013 Professional Workshop Series

Information is now available Visit www.lccc.edu for more information

Choose from a wide variety of courses being

offered

PENN SACCA 16th Annual Conference

November 8 & 9, 2013 Holiday Inn at Grantville (Hershey, PA)

Register Online at www.pennsacca.net

Questions? Contact: Shasta Wagner

Email: shastawagner@live.com Phone: 814-472-6341 Ext: 15

• Early Bird Registration must be received by October 5, 2013 • Conference Registration Deadline: October 26, 2013 • Note: Refunds must be requested in writing by 10/26/13 and are subject to a $35 processing fee for each individual refund.

Conference Flyer is available on the CSC website under the Professional Development section.

Environmental Rating Scale

The list of Environmental Rating Scale Professional Development Opportunities through January 2014 is

NOW AVAILABLE!

You can find a copy on the CSC website under the Professional Development section.

Check it out to see when the Environmental Rating Scale trainings will be in your County.

Professional Development At A Glance

Professional Development Events from

September 15, 2013 to November 16, 2013

are listed in the Professional Development

Calendar.

Get a full list of events and to register by

going to www.pakeys.org.

Flyers with additional information for each of these Professional Development Events is

located on the CSC website under the Professional Development section at

http://www.cscinc.org/northeast-regional-key/resources-reference-library/professional-

development/

Professional Development Corner

2013 Berks County Columbus Day Professional Development Conference

Monday, October 14, 2013 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

(Registration Starts at 6:45 am)

Stokesay Castle 141 Stokesay Castle Lane Reading, PA 19606

$36.00 Per Person through September 14th Lunch Included

Registration and Lunch Choice Form Attached Make Checks Payable to Community Services for Children, Inc.

Mail Check and Registration Form to: Community Services for Children, Inc

1520 Hanover Avenue Allentown, PA 18109

Flyers with additional information

for each of these Professional

Development Events is located on

the CSC website under the

Professional Development section

at http://www.cscinc.org/northeast-

regional-key/resources-reference-

library/professional-development/

ONLINE

Funded through the PA Keys

CDA Renewal Lehigh Carbon Community College

ECE 130 – Integrating Art Through Play Class begins September 24 and runs through

December 6, 2013.

$30.00 per student

For more information or to register please contact Deb Wanamaker at 610-799-1875 or email at

dwanamaker@lccc.edu

Deadline to register is September 16, 2013

Lackawanna County Conference

October 12, 2013 Registration Time: 8:00 am

Lackawanna College 501 Vine Street, Scranton, PA

Cost: $27.00 per person (Lunch Included) Make Checks Payable to Community Services for

Children, Inc.

Mail Check and Registration Form to: Community Services for Children, Inc

1520 Hanover Avenue Allentown, PA 18109

Registration Deadline: October 8th

Tioga County Conference

October 5, 2013 Registration Time: 8:00 – 8:30 am

Tokishi Center 124 Nypum Drive, Wellsboro, PA 16901

Cost: $28.00 (Lunch Included) Make Checks Payable to Community Services for

Children, Inc.

Mail Check and Registration Form to: Community Services for Children, Inc

1520 Hanover Avenue Allentown, PA 18109

Registration Deadline: September 30th

Infant-Toddler Conference

SAVE THE DATE

November 16, 2013 8:00 am to 3:30 pm

Luzerne County Community College 1333 Prospect Street, Nanticoke, PA 18634

Keep watching the Key Connection for the Conference Flyer

Announcing………..

New Staff Orientation-Get Started – an 8-hour core module – is now available in Better Kid Care’s On Demand online lesson system. New Staff Orientation-Get Started is the first step in revising and replacing the current 15-hour New Staff Orientation module. Join Better Kid Care staff at one of the following sessions to learn about New Staff Orientation-Get Started: Tuesday, October 22 at 9:45 a.m. – attend Better Kid Care’s workshop at the Early Childhood Education Summit conference in State College, PA. Each session will cover: What’s included in the content of New Staff Orientation-Get Started. How to use New Staff Orientation-Get Started with current staff. The role of the director in using New Staff Orientation-Get Started with current and new staff. Future plans to develop age-related modules (Infant/Toddler; Preschool; School-age) to accompany

New Staff Orientation-Get Started.

Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance WEBINAR TRAINING FOR RECOGNIZING AND REPORTING CHILD ABUSE

Three hour training - $10/per registrant

Please read the following information and visit their website at www.pa-fsa.org for more detailed

information on how to register, training dates, and technology needs.

This webinar training is an interactive, live online version of PFSA’s onsite training, complete with activities. This three-hour training reviews the elements of child abuse, including the legal definitions of a child, perpetrator, and categories and indicators of abuse. The training provides an overview of mandated reporting obligations, including how to make a report, protections for those who report, and the liability for failing to report. Cost for the training is $10 (payable at time of registration) and space is limited to 200 participants. Pre- registration is required. Materials will be available at log in for the training, so please log in at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. Each participant must use either a personal computer or mac (no tablets or phones). Participants need to able to hear the trainer either by computer speakers or by using the phone number provided. A microphone is not required. Please check to be sure your pc/mac is compatible. In order to receive credit for the webinar training, participants must be logged in individually and stay logged in for the duration of the training and complete all activities.

Saturday, October 19: 9-12:00 pm

Wednesday, November 6: 6-9 pm

Saturday, December 7: 9-12:00 pm

If you are a licensed Department of Education Program this training meets the Mandated Reporter Training requirement.

ECELS Health Capsule - Spanish Health and Safety Information from Pediatric Experts

The national American Academy of Pediatrics has a FREE, online Spanish-language magazine. The articles are about common child health concerns. One article in the first issue is about immunizations. Another is about the importance of sleep. A third is about how to manage stress as children return from summer vacations. Users have several different ways to get this valuable information:

Read the magazine on the newly launched website, Healthy Children en Español at http://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/Paginas/default.aspx

Download the HealthyChildren.org mobile app on iTunes and Google Play at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/healthy-children/id526082422?mt=8 and at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.healthy.children&feature=search_result#?t=W10

Print and distribute a Portable Document Format (PDF) of the articles in English and Spanish or share the PDF with others by e-mail.

Hear the text read in English or Spanish by clicking the “Listen” button on any of the article pages. The website highlights the words in the printed article as the narrator reads it. This helps people with visual impairments, reading difficulties, or learning disabilities. Also, some people understand better when they hear the content with or without reading along.

New ECELS Website

We hope you are finding the new ECELS website helpful in your work to promote health and safety in early care and education programs. To continue receiving ECELS E-Mail Alerts, please be sure to sign up for this service again on the new ECELS website at www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org At the home page, click on the words, “Sign up for ECELS E-Mail Alert.” Even if you signed up on the old website, you need to sign up on the new website. ECELS sends an E-Mail Alert whenever you need to know important information right away. Any website user may download, and print the health and safety materials or share them electronically, as long as you say that ECELS is the source and do not change anything. Use this citation: ‘www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org, accessed [insert date] with permission.’ Soon, the old system used to send this email to you will be deactivated. We want to be sure you continue receiving E-Mail Alerts from ECELS. Please share this message with colleagues who may also be interested in signing up for ECELS E-Mail Alerts.

How far you go in life depends on your being

tender with the young, compassionate with

the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and

tolerant of the weak and strong. Because

someday in your life you will have been all of

these.

~ George Washington Carver

2013-2014 Northeast Key Exchanges Coming Soon!!!

The Northeast Key Exchanges will be held via Webinar.

Find out what is happening within the region and get your questions answered without having to travel and with NO added expense. Through the use of webinar you will not incur any long distance charges. All you

need is a computer!

To Register for these events click on the link next to the date you would like to attend. Once you have registered you will receive an email with link to the webinar.

Mark your calendar with these dates and times:

Friday, September 20, 2013 – 10:00 am – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/304407646 Friday, December 13, 2013 – 10:00 am – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/117507846 Friday, March 7, 2014 – 10:00 am – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/924844630

Friday, June 6, 2014 – 10:00 am – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/761087038

If you do not have a microphone or speakers through your computer system, you can participate via Conference Call at the following number.

Conference Call Number: 712-432-0390 (Please Note: New Number) Pass code: 157031#

Have a question you would like answered during the Exchange? Email your questions to Beth Gambone at bgambone@cscinc.org prior to the date of the Exchange and we will be sure to answer your questions.

Calling All Directors

Directors you are invited to attend the Director Advisory Team meetings. The Northeast Regional Key would like your input about new policies and procedures, Keystone STARS updates or your community needs. Come share your thoughts and suggestions. This year we will be holding the Director Advisory

Meetings via webinar.

Mark your calendars with the following dates: Friday, November 8, 2013 – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/925422118 Friday, February 28, 2014 – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/828527838

Friday, May 9, 2014 – Register at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/156050134

Time: 12:00 pm t0 1:00 pm

If you do not have a microphone or speakers through your computer system, you can participate via Conference Call at the following number.

Conference Call Number: 712-432-0075

Pass code: 521992#

There is no charge to participate in the Director Advisory Meetings.

Setting the Stage for Quality Curriculum By MaryKay Mahar

Many early childhood programs balance the demands of daily operations while growing the quality of care and curriculum they provide the children in their care. As we look towards the fall and consider the learning experiences we wish to provide, it is important to ensure staff understand that a safe environment is the baseline for a successful classroom. Safety simply cannot be compromised. We do not enrich learning through play without proper supervision. With this in mind, I would encourage you to take the time to refresh your staff on proper supervision practices periodically. Directors are able to train their own staff in Supervision for Keystone STARS approved professional development hours by obtaining their DQAS. For more information, please refer to this link which directs you to the Director Instructor Application: http://www.pakeys.org/uploadedContent/Docs/PD/PQAS/Director%20App.pdf.

6 REASONS TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT ROUTINES IN YOUR INFANT-TODDLER CLASSROOM

1. Routines help infants and toddlers learn self-control. ~ Consistent routines, activities that happen at about the same time and in about the same

way, provide comfort and a sense of safety to infants and toddlers. ~ When children feel this sense of trust and safety, they are free to do their “work”, which is to

play, explore and learn. 2. Routines can reduce power struggles.

~ Stable routines can limit the “no’s” and behavior corrections. ~ The child can better predict what should happen next. ~ “I know you are hungry, but it is clean-up time now. Remember after clean-up, it’s snack

time” 3. Routines guide positive behavior and safety.

~ Routines are like instructions—they guide children’s behaviors towards a certain goal. ~ For example, children wash hands before they have a meal or must hold an adult’s hand

when crossing the street. 4. Routines support children’s social skills.

~ As babies grow, they begin to learn patterns and routines for social interactions. ~ Greetings, good-byes, mealtimes, playtimes and diaper changes are examples of routine

interactions that teach social skills. ~ They are also opportunities to help children develop their language skills.

5. Routines help children cope with transitions. ~ Depending on a child, transitions between activities may be easy or more difficult. ~ Some teachers use a “5-minute warning” or a timer; others use a book, song/chant or special

game. 6. Routines are an important opportunity for learning.

~ Routines offer a chance to build self-confidence, social skills, self-control, language and more. ~ Routines provide the two key ingredients for learning: relationships and repetition.

By Masha Levin

It’s Time!

The Second Collection Period for the Facility Professional Development Plan (FPDP) Survey is August 15- October 15, 2013!

When was the first Collection Period? January 15- March 8, 2013

Why is there a second collection period? The purpose of the second Collection Period is for programs to either update their plan or enter the information for the first time this year.

Who needs to do this? All programs! This is your tool‐ to inform the NE Key about your program’s professional development needs for 2013-14. Your input is very important because your survey outcomes are used to create the professional development plan for the year! Whether your program is enrolled in Keystone STARS or not, your information is important! If you are in Keystone STARS, you will be meeting a Keystone STARS Standard by completing this survey, and if you are not in Keystone STARS, we still want to hear from you! (make sure you keep a copy for yourself!)

The survey will be closed after October 15, 2013, so do not delay! (Hint: The system moves more quickly when less people are entering their data for the FPDP, so enter early!)

The Facility Professional Development Plan (FPDP) Survey is online! See directions below for completing the survey at www.pakeys.org. If you have questions, please contact Susan Ritter at sritter@cscinc.org or 610‐437‐6000, ext.2316

You can also can access a guide for completing the survey by going to: www.pakeys.org and click on Early Childhood programs/Prof. Development and then scroll down to: Self-Learning Guide for Practitioners for Online FPDP Submission. You can access these instructions at anytime!

THANK YOU!!!!!! Directions for:

Accessing the On‐line Professional Development Plan (FPDP)

To enter your FPDP information, you will need to log on to the PA Key website at www.pakeys.org. From the main page, log in to the intranet by pushing the red login button at the top right of the screen.

After you have logged in to the intranet, enter www.pakeys.org/private/fpdps/ at the top of the screen and hit ENTER. This will bring up the entrance screen.

Next, enter your MPI number in the space indicated.

Section 1: Facility Information 1.1 Once you have logged in to the survey, check to make sure that your facility information is accurate and

up‐to‐date. It is important that this information is correct in order to continue through the survey without error messages. Be sure to count all staff that you included in your survey. It is possible that the number of staff in each age group will add up to more than your total number of staff if you have staff members who work in more than one classroom. If you are a family child care provider, put a 1 for total number of staff and a 1 in each age group that you serve. If you don’t have staff in a certain age group, you will need to put a 0 in that space.

1.2 When you have verified that all of your information is accurate, click the “next page’ button at the bottom of the screen.

This will take you to Section 2 of the document.

Facility Professional Development Plan Directions (Continued)

Section 2: Core Body of Knowledge and Professional Development Record 2.1 To complete this section you will need to refer to your completed paper copy of the document. Begin

by filling out the number of staff who need professional development in Knowledge Area 1 – Child Growth and Development. Be sure to put the correct number of staff under the age group that they care for and the competency level that each person needs. If you have no staff that need professional development in an area, simply leave that area blank.

2.2 Next, you will enter the topic codes for the Knowledge Areas that staff require. Click in the topic code box to bring up a menu of topic codes in that knowledge area. This will bring up a box that lists all of the topic codes in the selected knowledge area. Click on each of the areas that staff need professional development in. The box may take several minutes to save so please be patient as you wait for it to close. When all of your numbers are entered and accurate, click on the “next page” icon.

This will take you to Section 3 of the document.

Section 3: Core Series and Support 3.1 Section 3 collects information about your core series and support series needs. To fill in this page,

simply scroll down and insert the number of staff needing each type of professional development. When you have finished this page, click the next page button at the bottom of the screen. This will take you to Section 4 of the document.

Section 4: Credentials, Degrees and Technical Assistance 4.1 Next, you will be asked how many staff will pursue a credential for the first time and how many intend

to renew their credential in the coming year. Please enter the accurate number under CDA, Director’s credential and School‐Age Credential. Under Degrees and Certification, indicate the number of staff who have attained or are enrolled in a degree or certification program.

4.2 Next, indicate which type of technical assistance you are likely to request in the coming year – you may check more than one.

Finally, take a few minutes to go back over your survey – you can do this by hitting the previous page buttons at the bottom of each page. When you are sure that all of the information looks the way that you want it to, Click on Click on the Submit Survey Button.

Your Regional Key will not receive your information until you submit your survey.

2013-2014 Keystone STARS Grants

The 2013-2014 grant applications have ARRIVED!!

The applications are available on the CSC website under the Grants section and on the PA Key website.

Please contact your STARS Manager with any questions.

ERS Expiration Dates? By Kathleen Ankenbrand

ERS assessments have effective end dates and they do not necessarily match your Keystone STARS certificate date. ERS assessments are generally valid for 2 years from the date on the letter that accompanies each assessment. Keystone STAR sites renewing at the same level will accept an ERS window up to six months prior to the current ERS effective end date. There are exceptions to a program needing an ERS sooner than two years, such as 50% or greater turnover in full-time staff, more than 1/3 of classrooms lost a lead teacher, and/or a new age group was added since the last ERS visit. An ERS assessment is required every other year at STAR 3 and 4. If a program is changing a STAR level a new ERS Assessment Validation visit will be necessary. Please contact your STARS Manager for more clarification.

Attention STAR 4 ACC. providers!!!

An addition has been made to the STAR 4Accredited Center Worksheet (see below). An updated copy of the STAR 4Accredited Center Worksheet is available on the PA Key website. Please contact your STARS Manager with any questions.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

By Siyheda Harris

Focus on Early Childhood Mental Health

Learning is Everywhere

Hannah, age 2½, needed to be held and cuddled one day at the child care center. As Hannah sat on Helen’s lap, Helen starting showing her how some of the beads on her necklace matched her sweater, some matched Hannah’s dress, and some matched Helen’s earrings. Soon Hannah started naming the colors of the necklace beads and matching them. Hannah was learning about colors and how to match them. Helen was using an everyday situation and ordinary objects to teach essential skills and knowledge—all the while building a relationship with Hannah and helping her feel loved and secure. This story is a real-life example of how “learning is everywhere,” also the name of an initiative of Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning to encourage learning and increase school readiness in young children. The story also shows that besides teaching essential skills, using everyday situations and routines to promote learning strengthens bonds between children and their caregivers and helps to promote their healthy social and emotional development. Examples of using everyday activities to teach skills and build relationships:

In the grocery store: talk about the colors and shapes of fruits and vegetables; count the items in the grocery cart; allow the child to choose between two fruits; ask the child to help you find the items pictured on your coupons Doing the laundry: sort clothes (all the socks here, all the underwear there, or by color); learn how to fold a towel neatly; count how many socks there are; find one towel, two pairs of underwear, three shirts In the bathroom: during bath time name each body part; compare the size of body parts (a toe is smaller than a hand); name each item of clothing as it comes off and goes in the laundry basket Traveling: keep a supply of books in the car; sing songs and make up silly words to old songs; play bingo with common items you can see out the window (stop signs, a bus, an animal); talk about different kinds of transportation (cars, bicycles, buses, trains, planes) In the kitchen: arrange measuring cups and spoons by size; talk about the different shapes of food (cubes of cheese, cracker triangles, round Cheerios); while you’re eating, use different words for how food tastes or feels (sour, sweet, salty, crunchy, soft, smooth) Resources

Learning is Everywhere: Activities to Do with Your Young Child, Pennsylvania Promise for Children; http://ow.ly/nt2m5 Sesame Street, “Learning is Everywhere”; http://ow.ly/nt2CV Leapfrog, “Learning is Everywhere”; http://ow.ly/nt2NQ Related FOCUS on ECMH factsheets: The Importance of Play, #7; Nurturing the Natural Curiosity of Children, #30; Play That Promotes Healthy

Development, #41; Motivating the Desire to Learn, #48; www.parecovery.org (Statewide Initiatives/Early Childhood Mental Health)

Infant/Toddler Newsletter

The Fall 2013 Curriculum Edition of the Infant/Toddler Newsletter

is now available!!!

We have attached a copy of the newsletter for your convenience. You can

also find this current newsletter as well as past editions on the CSC Website

under the Infant/Toddler section.

The Childcare Transition – Preparing Yourself and Your Child

How to make the best decisions about childcare All parents want to feel like they are making the best choice they can when it comes to the care of their child. Leaving your child in childcare, particularly for the first time, can be difficult for both you and your child, but sometimes it is necessary in today's busy life. Choosing the kind of childcare that you are confident in and preparing both your child and yourself for the transition can help decrease anxious feelings and create a more positive experience for both of you.

Tips for making the childcare transition a positive experience

Consider your options. You know your child best. Making a list of your child's needs and how she would best be satisfied. This can help you make a decision about the most appropriate childcare environment for your child. You have many options, such as:

Child care centers where your child is in a group setting with children the same age and multiple child care providers

Family child care where your child stays at someone's home and the children there might range in age

In-home care where a child care provider comes to your home and looks after your child

Nursery schools or pre-schools where your child is in a group setting that is generally not year-round or full-day and has planned educational activities

Start your search early. If possible, begin visiting childcare settings a few months ahead of time. Ask to see the provider's license to operate, written health, safety, and emergency procedures, staff qualifications and requirements, including First Aid/CPR and background checks, and staff to child ratios. After you narrow down the choices, plan a visit with your child and see if she is comfortable and how she interacts with other children and caregivers.

Think about your schedule. Make sure the child care setting meets the needs of your schedule, is easily accessible to you via whatever means of transportation you use, and is in a convenient location to work or home.

Consider your financial situation. Make sure the setting you choose provides quality child care that is affordable to you. Understand the calendar for the year, tuition schedule, and penalties in case you need to move or leave the provider. Do not necessarily let your choice be affected by your financial situation. There are programs that can assist you in paying for childcare or provide you with a voucher. These are through your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. Visit http://www.eec.state.ma.us/ChildCareSearch/CCRR.aspxto find your local agency and ask about financial assistance.

Communicate with caregivers. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions, set rules, and demand a lot; after all, the caregiver you choose is taking care of someone very special to you. It is important to communicate with child care providers about your child. Let them know about your child's personality, likes and dislikes, medical needs, eating and sleeping habits, and other information that will help them get to know and interact with your child. Make sure you check in with them regularly to ask about how your child interacts with other children, how she behaves, and what she is doing.

Ease your child in. Begin to prepare your child at least a week before you start leaving her in child care. See if you can take her for short visits a few times before she starts her schedule. Talk to your child about the activities she will be doing, and where in the schedule, for example after nap or lunch, you will pick her up. Allow extra time for dropping your child off for the first few weeks in case she has trouble saying good-bye. Even if your child is upset, it is important that she knows you are leaving instead of you slipping out while she is distracted. Develop and practice a routine for getting ready to go so neither you nor your child are anxious and stressed in the morning.

Source: Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund, http://www.onetoughjob.org/tips/preschoolers/the-childcare-transition-preparing-yourself-and-your-child

Submit children's stories to be recognized during PA's Promise Month!

Submit by September 20th for recognition during Pennsylvania's Promise for Children Month in October

Celebrate your child and all your family, teachers, and others have done to help your child reach their promise!

During Pennsylvania's Promise for Children month in October, PA's Promise will recognize stories of real Pennsylvania children and families on the website and through state and local activities.

Help us celebrate your family by sharing your story!

When you share your child’s story, you will receive:

Your child’s story will be profiled on Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children website in October and throughout the year – we will let you know what month your child’s story will be profiled so you can let your friends know.

A signed Certificate of Appreciation

Local and state recognition during PA’s Promise month in October

You will also be entered for a drawing to receive wonderful books and materials!

There is so much you can share! Share how your young child has grown, what your child wants to become, and ways that quality

early learning at home and/or in a quality child care/early learning program is helping your child reach his/her promise!

What makes your child special? What dreams do you have for your child? How do you help your young child grow? How do you help your child feel safe and loved? Learn new

things? Meet and get along with new people? Do you have the help of a home visitor, therapist or nurse at home? Does your child attend a child

care/ early learning program? How have they helped you and your child? How have you seen your child grow? Has he/she overcome illness, disabilities or delays? Learned

new words, new skills, or come out of his/her shell? What does your child want to be when he/she grows up?

Teachers and others may share stories with written permission from the child's parent/guardian.

Visit www.papromiseforchildren.com and click on Tell Your Story for more information.

Special Kids Network

The SKN, in partnership with the PA ELKS Home Service Program, helps children and youth with special health care needs by helping their families get the services and support these young people require in order to thrive in the community and develop to their full potential. If your child has a physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional need, call or visit our website. There is no charge for any Special Kids Network resource.

Visit us at www.gotoskn.state.pa.us or call at 1-800-986-4550.