In the fall of 1995 Renewal Unlimited was
selected to develop an Early Head Start Program, one of only 68 agencies
in the nation to be funded. The Early Head Start Program annually serves
75 low-income pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and their families in
Adams, Columbia, Dodge, Juneau and Sauk counties through a
transdisciplinary team model providing comprehensive Head Start services.
The Early Head Start Expansion Grant was
awarded to Renewal Unlimited in January, 2010. Renewal was one of
five Expansion Grants awarded in the State of Wisconsin. An
additional 70 infants and toddlers will be served throughout the five
county service area for a grand total of 145. Seven new Family
Advocates were hired to accommodate the additional infants, toddlers and
their families. Two Family Advocates were placed in both Juneau and
Sauk Counties and one Family Advocate in each of the remaining counties of
Adams, Columbia and Dodge. A 0-3 Home Based Coordinator was hired to
oversee the new Advocates as well as the additional programming.
The Early Head Start Program is based out of Family Resource Centers in
each county. The Family Resource Centers each have a toy and resource
lending library, including books and videos on child development and
parenting issues. Programs through the resource centers include a warmline,
computer and Internet access for families and community members, and
monthly parenting and child care provider workshops. Finally the resource
centers publish a monthly newsletter that goes out to childcare providers
and other interested community members.
Early Head Start also provides weekly home visits and socialization
activities for enrolled families. During the home visit staff and families
work together to identify and meet child development goals. The
socialization activities include an infant and parent playgroup and a
toddler/parent playgroup that meets weekly at the Family Resource Center.
The playgroups are open to both Early Head Start families and to the
community. Family Night Out is a second socialization activity that is
offered to Early Head Start families in the evening. This is an activity
that is attended by the entire family and includes a meal, parent-child
interaction time and adult time.
Early Head Start’s programming
is similar to
Head Start’s;
however, family services begin before birth, with a particular
focus on:
Prenatal (before birth) support to ensure the health of the mother and her
baby;
Preparing parents, siblings, and other family for the birth and caring for the
new baby (as well as themselves);
Developing the bond between
child and family from birth to age 3 that ensures happy and healthy development.
Weekly/Year round Homevisiting program for expectant parents and
families with children from birth to three.
Services to Childcare Providers
Support Groups
Programs for Dads
Pregnant Moms and Teens Welcome
The centerpiece of Early Head Start is a weekly home visit where
experienced, qualified staff work with each family in identifying goals for both
the child and whole family.
Individual plans for socialization (such aschild/parent playgroups), health,learning, and other developmental issues may call for activities at home,
the Family Resource Center, or other local resources.
Increasingly, the results of
research on child development have had a recurring theme: "the earlier the
better!" Early Head Start is Renewal's way of ensuring that children get a
healthy beginning -- even before birth! Visit our local centers at left
and see how we're helping kids and families grow up strong.
Call Toll-Free to receive our Free Newsletter from the county you live in.
Adams 1-888-288-7913
Columbia 1-608-742-3136
Dodge 1-800-453-5831
Sauk 1-888-356-3328
Juneau 1-888-565-6100
Family Resource Centers
Renewal Unlimited offers an exciting opportunity to
families in our primary service area: Adams, Columbia, Dodge, Juneau, and Sauk
counties each have a Family Resource Center, where whole families come for fun,
learning, and growing together. Each Center is unique, supported by a mixture of
private donations and public funds, and with its own "personality" (for example,
Beaver Dam's Center is called "Parent Resource Place"). However, all five
provide a variety of core services to families, including:
A Lending Library, packed with toys, games, videos,
books, cassettes, and other resources for fun and learning for children,
expectant & and new parents, and families/individuals of all ages and sizes;
Parent Education and Support, including workshops
on all areas of parenting and family life, and group and individual support for
maintaining personal and family health;
A telephone "Warm Line" and access to computers,
the Internet, and other technology;
Early Head Start and other family, prenatal, and
early-childhood services, including home visiting;
Family activities, including weekly playgroups,
"Family Fun Nights," and many other parent/child, parent/parent, and child/child
opportunities!
