Description

Services: Head Start and Early Head Start Joyful Learning Child Academy Family Care Community Partnership (FCCP) Senior and Disabled Adult Services Heating Assistance (by appointment) Emergency Serices Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Head Start educators work with families and children to implement developmental and socialization strategies that work best for you and your child. Our classrooms are bright and inviting and are designed to maximize creativity and learning. Healthy lunches and snacks are provided to children daily. In addition to providing educational and nutritional resources, children will have access to health and dental screenings at no cost, and families will be provided with health referrals and referrals for emergency services whenever needed. We recruit families 12 months per year. Head Start Program provides a center-based, comprehensive early childhood education program for 76 children from ages three to Five years old. The Tri-County Early Head Start program offers a home-based option for children aged birth to three years old, in which an educator visits the home once per week to engage the child in educational and developmental activities, and socialization strategies. Classroom-based options are available for children ages 18 months to 3 years old, and focus on fun and engaging curriculum to prepare the child for pre-school. Early Head Start is a federal program for eligible families, that are expecting a child, or with a child ages birth to three years old. The program provides services that promote cognitive, language and social-emotional development of the child. Children enrolled in the program will receive medical and dental screenings at no cost, and families are provided with assistance locating health care, and emergency services whenever needed. The Early Head Start program provides center-based early education services to 8 children in one classroom. Early Head Start also offers home-based services to 22 children and families including 5 prenatal clients. Families residing in the towns of North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Hopkinton, Richmond, Exeter, Charlestown, Westerly, and New Shoreham are eligible for the program. Eligibility Guidelines: The programs service families with income at or below the federal poverty guidelines, children in living in foster care, and families experiencing homelessness. Ten percent of enrollment slots must be filled with children with a diagnosed disability. The Joyful Learning Child Academy: is a pre-school and early education program that services families with young children. The program provides comprehensive early education and development services to infants and children six weeks through five years of age. Joyful Learning is licensed by the RI Department of Children, Youth and Families and is accredited by the RI Department of Education. Furthermore, the program was awarded 4 stars under the BrightStars ratings system as defined by the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children [RIAEYC]. The Center, located at 1935 Kingstown Road in Wakefield, is open year round, Monday through Friday from 6:30 am until 6:00 pm. Joyful Learning provides children with a best-practice curriculum in early childhood education and maintains the most stringent of regulations in regard to staffing, per RI State licensing. All staff has education requirements as per directives of DCYF and RIDE and must complete extensive background checks prior to employment. For more information on the Joyful Learning Program, please contact Tara Ward at 789-2244 or via email at mailto:[email protected]. Senior & Disabled Adults Programs: Tri-County’s Senior and Disabled Adult Case Managers are available to assist with a multitude of services including nutrition services, healthcare and medical assistance, home health aides, home modifications, elder abuse prevention, and when necessary, nursing home referrals. Our goal is to identify the needs of the individual and their family, and to prepare strategies to assist them in meeting those needs.For information on all Senior and Disabled Adult services, contact us at 401 349-5760. Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, offers assistance with managing costs associated with home energy bills. Tri-County is able to help with paying fuel and utility bills during the winter months for eligible clients, and we can arrange for the installation of home insulation to reduce home-heating costs (gas, electric, propane, oil, kerosene or wood) through our weatherization program.

What's Here