Families United Home Visits using the Parents as Teachers Curriculum
FIRC currently serves over 140 children with monthly home visits for children ages 0 to 5 focused on improving the parent-child bond and giving parents tools to be the best teacher for their child possible. There are no income restrictions for this program and visits are offered in English and Spanish.
How the program helps:
The purpose of FIRC’s Parents as Teachers home visitation program is to provide the information, support and encouragement parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life. For the last 10 years FIRC’s Families United program has been offering home visits using the nationally-recognized Parents as Teachers curriculum with the goal that all children will learn, grow and develop to realize their full potential.
Home visits focus on a variety of topics including:
- development of motor, cognitive, language and social emotional skills through interactive games that the parent educator encourages the parent to do with their child
- nutrition
- health
- addressing issues parents are facing
How the program works:
Home visitation is a free program and open to all parents with children ages 0 to 5 living in Summit County. FIRC provides monthly home visits in English and Spanish to over 140 children composing over 1,200 visits per year for our parent educators. There is currently a waiting list for this program, but we encourage you to contact us. Bright Beginnings visits and parenting classes are also excellent ways to gain more knowledge on parenting and early childhood development.
How to sign up:
If you would like more information or would like to sign up for the home visitation program, please contact FIRC at 970-262-3888 ext. 321 or email noelles@summitfirc.org The only qualifications are you need to live in Summit County and have a child or children ages 0 to 5.
FIRC Home Visit Statistics:
- Over 140 children ages 0-5 served by the program
- 1,200 home visits per year offered on a weekly to monthly basis
- 2,500 hours spent mentoring parents through home visits
- Average length of stay in the program is 3 years
- 90% retention rate
- 30 children are currently on the home visitation waiting list
Bright Beginnings
Free yearly home visit for parents with children ages prenatal to 3
Bright Beginnings Is a state-wide program offering free home visits for all Colorado parents with children ages 0 to 3. Visits are focused on giving parents developmental information and community resources for their children. Visits are offered in English and Spanish. To schedule a visit contact Molly at 970-262-3888 ext. 330 or email mollyh@summitfirc.org.
How the program helps:
The purpose is to empower parents with the guidance, knowledge and tools to create a bright beginning for their child. The information covered in each visit is based on the child’s age. Visits are also accompanied with materials to assist the parent. The following details the topics and materials covered in the age-appropriate visits.
Prenatal to 12 months: Positive parent-child interactions and relationship building
Health, safety and access to health insurance
Identifying and finding quality childcare
Early brain development and developmental milestones in all domains
Importance of reading to children from birth
Games parents can play with their child to stimulate healthy growth and development
Parents will receive:
Giving Your Child a Bright Beginning handbook
LearningGames© Birth to 12 Months book
Working Your Way Through the Child Care Maze booklet
A local community resources guide
Mozart Effect: Music for Newborns audio CD
A children’s board book
CHP+ Child Health Insurance information
12 months to 24 months:
Importance of talking with, encouraging, and playing with your child
Importance of reading to children every day
Information on ways to enhance vocabulary development and positive interactions
Games parents can play with their child to stimulate healthy growth and development
Parents will receive:
LearningGames© 12 to 24 Months book
Language Power handbook
My First Picture Book
Working Your Way Through the Child Care Maze booklet
A local community resources guide
A children’s board book
CHP+ Child Health Insurance information
24 months to 36 months: Health, safety and an understanding of developmental milestones
Importance of talking with, encouraging, and playing with a child
Importance of “conversational reading” with a child every day
Strategies and information on providing consistent, useful and positive guidance and discipline
Games parents can play with their child to stimulate healthy growth and development
Parents will receive:
Giving Your Child a Bright Beginning 24 -36 months handbook
LearningGames© 24 to 36 Months book
My Second Picture Book
The Power of Positive Parenting handbook
Working Your Way Through the Child Care Maze booklet
Multi-media DVD (still in development)
A local community resources guide
A children’s board book
CHP+ Child Health Insurance information
How the program works:
Colorado Bright Beginnings has teamed up with FIRC to provide yearly home visits for parents with children prenatal to 3 years old in English and Spanish. Visits can be held in the home or at the FIRC office. The information covered in the visit is based on if the parent is expecting or the child’s age. There are three different visits available. You do NOT have to complete one visit in order to qualify for the next. Visits are free.
How to schedule a visit:
To schedule a visit or for questions on Bright Beginnings contact FIRC at 970-262-3888 ext. 330 or email mollyh@summitfirc.org
For more information on the program please visit the official Bright Beginnings site. http://www.brightbeginningsco.org/
Early Head Start
Weekly home visits for low-income families
Early Head Start is a low-income weekly home visit program for children ages 0 to 3. Visits are provided by a specialized parent educator.
How the program helps: Early Head Start offers personalized in-home education geared to their family’s needs and concerns. It also creates a social network for the parents and children involved to gain opportunities to learn in a social setting with peers.
The parent educator’s home visits are based on the Parents as Teachers curriculum and focus on various areas of development for their children, which include:
- development of motor, cognitive, language and social emotional skills through interactive games that the parent educator encourages the parent to do with their child
- nutrition – good nutrition for the developing child and how it positively affects brain development
- health - with long winters in Summit County, families receive ideas for activities to keep the family healthy. Early Head Start also provides a nurse to offer professional medical opinion to answer questions for the family.
- addressing issues parents are facing – specialized parent educator supports parents by connecting them to various community resources in order to address more of the family’s needs.
How the program works: Each family is assigned one specialized parent educator who makes weekly home visits. Visits are available in English and Spanish.
Every month there are 3-4 socialized learning experiences for all children and parents in the program to come together as one to interact with each other while learning about a topic of their interest.
How to apply:
Low income expecting parents or families with a child/children under the age of three may apply. Other qualifying factors may exist, please contact Lisa Venz at Early Head Start to apply 970-513-1170. For questions contact FIRC at 970-262-3888 ext. 321 or email noelles@summitfirc.org
Early Head Start Application
English | Spanish