Exploring Roles in the Local Early Childhood Community

      In our careers and education, the image of an Early Childhood Professional seems to jump to preschool education or child care. There is so much more that must occur in the lives of children long before learning to read and count.  The quality of family life is at the very heart of early childhood. Support for the family is a community’s first mission: If life is good for families, it is good for everyone. In my local area in Cleveland Ohio, I am drawn to a few organizations that are committed to the well-being of families.  There are two models for local Family Rooms that invite families of very young children to socialize, learn parenting skills and discuss child-related issues, serve as a resource for basic and personal needs, and generally validate Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory by building a strong and positive influential microsystem.  The Lakewood Family Room is an extension of the city’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Shaker Family Room provides the same early childhood and family support, but collaborates more with school officials in an effort to prepare families for school, and the school for local families. Both are smart moves to build strong families in thriving communities. The Ohio Department of Education also assists communities in building Early Childhood PTA programs.  The Cuyahoga County Family Justice Center is a now-forming family service program, intending to pull together under one roof all needed services for families who have experienced domestic violence. The site below shows some shocking photos of moms in trouble. So many little children have witnessed or experienced such abuse, and are forever changed by it. Strong early childhood programs can work to create places free from fear so that children can grow and learn with fewer developmental obstacles.

      The employment opportunities in the family room examples are few, as mid to small-sized cities seldom include Health and Human Services with a focus on Early Childhood in their city budgets.  In the case of Lakewood Family Room, there is one such job available, and it has been filled, with a long wait list.  The Shaker Family Room pays a stipend to its Director from a private grant foundation.  I believe there is potential future employment opportunity for the Family Justice Center when implementation is near, though it is likely that most services will be provided by existing agencies, making the employment opportunity for this agency likely to come from the County Department of Children and Family Services. Early Childhood experience and education, especially in mental health, seems to be what is needed, as well as a frugal lifestyle. When working with the Family Justice Center, it will also be necessary for staff to have access to and a plan for managing personal mental health.

Ohio Department of Education

http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=1793&Content=117943

Lakewood Family Room

http://www.onelakewood.com/HumanServices/EarlyChildhood/FamilyRoom.aspx

Shaker Heights Family Room

http://www.familyconnections1.org/facilities/shakerplayroom.php

Family Justice Center

http://ja.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/family-justice-center-new.aspx