To volunteer with the Scottdale Child Development and Family Resource Center, go to www.scottdale.org
In 1977, the Scottdale Child Development and Family Resource Center opened to a growing demand in the community for affordable, quality childcare. Through community support, the center grew to provide both center-based and community-based early care and education services to a diverse group of children and families, with the central goal of increasing the rate of four-year-old children who are ready to enter kindergarten.
In recent years, the center started the Parents as Teachers program, which provides in-home support to families with young children (five years old and younger) to help improve parenting skills and prepare the children for kindergarten.
“This program became very important to the well-being of the families we serve,” said Carlotta Bradshaw, director of programs. “A lot of the parents we serve are first-time parents, so we work with them, build relationships with them to create a successful environment for both the parents and children.” The Center also serves low-income or single-parent homes, and homes where English may not be the first language.
The program teaches parents simple activities to do with their children to help develop their motor and cognitive skills.
“This program also encourages parent-child interaction to help the parents gain confidence and increase participation in their children’s lives once they start going to school,” said Beverly Scott, parent educator at Scottdale. “Our program is really a stepping stone to ensuring children do better in school socially and academically.”
Parent educators make home visits twice a month to their families as a part of the program.
One of the most important facets of the program is to develop a love of reading for the children. At every home visit, the parent educators bring a book to leave with the families in order to build a library for the children.
To fulfill its mission of helping develop a successful future for children, the center is always looking for children’s books and developmental toys for their families. Volunteers can also come to the center to read to the children, speak to parents about getting ready for kindergarten and be involved in various other activities within the center.
The Center currently serves 25 families in the Parents as Teachers program in central DeKalb County.
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