Abram Headstart & Child Development Center

In 1968 we set out to provide a basic necessity for many Texas families — quality child care. Today Child Care Associates has grown into the largest private nonprofit child care company in the area.

We have over 700 employees and operate 38 child care centers throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County. We also operate two subsidized child care contracts for the Local Workforce Boards Tarrant County CCMS serving families in Tarrant County and West Central Texas CCPO serving families in Abilene and 19 surrounding counties.

Child Care Associates is governed by a Board of Directors that meets several times during the year. The Board sets and reviews policies and procedures and guides the direction and growth of the company. CCAs President/CEO reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the daily operations of the company.

Next year Child Care Associates will celebrate its 40th anniversary — 40 years of helping children and families succeed.

How do we do it? What makes us different from the rest? What is Child Care Associates all about?

We are

Committed — First and foremost we are committed to our mission; to assist family successes through excellence in comprehensive child care and development services. From the Chairman of our Board to the cook in one of our centers everyone associated with CCA is committed to helping our children and families succeed.

Holistic — Child Development is not just about learning the ABCs. Its about proper nutrition growing up healthy learning motor skills and social development. Its also about parental involvement. CCAs holistic approach to child development touches all of these areas and more. Each child receives basic health screenings and lessons on proper hygiene and dental care. Parents are encouraged to take part in center activities and in parent meetings that discuss ways to help their children learn.

Innovators Child Care Associates was formed through an innovative approach to subsidized child care. The United Way suggested that three small subsidized child care programs merge to form an area-wide program. Since that time we have become masters of innovation — from becoming an early grantee for the half-day Head Start program then evolving it into full day; to partnering with area cities and ISDs to open child care centers in areas of greatest need for services. Many of CCAs best innovations are in our classrooms where children learn and grow through fun activities that focus on school readiness.

Literacy Our child development programs offer the very best in promoting child literacy and growth. Our curriculum is tailored to be compatible with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and area ISDs. It is focused on promoting school readiness for pre-K children by teaching young learners letter recognition and letter sound skills in order to help them become better readers. Our early education model is now being implemented state-wide for pre-K programs.

Dedicated Everyone at Child Care Associates is dedicated to one thing the children. Many employees have been with CCA for 10 years or more; some have been with the company for over 30 years almost since the beginning. They have dedicated their lives to the children and families that they serve. To keep up with the ever-changing world our company is dedicated to constant change not change for changes sake but change to incorporate new technology and new and better ways of doing things. To this end every classroom is equipped with computers our teachers use PDAs to track each childs progress and our staff attends continuing education classes. In fact we are dedicated to providing ongoing training opportunities for our teachers and center staff.

Collaborators Child Care Associates can offer cutting edge child development programs and an array of services to our children and families because we are masters at collaboration. Through our ISD Collaborations we provide full day child development services in elementary school Pre-K classrooms. Through collaboration with the City of Fort Worth we offer child care at several city community centers. Through collaboration with area health and human services agencies our children receive vision hearing and dental screenings and our families have access to numerous other community services.

Affordable — What does all this innovative collaborative thinking mean to you and your child? Affordability our collaborations and innovative thinking and varied funding streams allow Child Care Associates to offer an exceptional child development program at very affordable rates to all families. It allows us to offer a subsidy to those families that need help in paying for child care and it allows us to offer the Head Start program to families in financial distress with little or no income. Our affordable payment rates make it possible for No Child To Be Left Behind when entering kindergarten.

Recognized Leader Child Care Associates is a recognized leader in the early child development arena. As such our management is invited to take part in federal state and local initiatives involving early child development. The Texas Workforce Commission asked CCA to field-test its subsidized child care program to help working parents Tarrant County CCMS. Our staff are invited to present at professional conferences. Our President/CEO along with members of the Texas Education Agency advises state lawmakers on early childhood education legislation. In addition we were invited to participate in numerous innovative new programs such as the Oral Health Initiative Healthy Marriage Demonstration Project and First Lady Barbara Bushs early reading program The First Ladys Family Literacy Initiative for Texas.

Experienced From our President/CEO Mr. John A. Whitcamp who is a former school district superintendent to our classroom teachers CCA is staffed with experienced educators. Many of our teachers are degreed and nearly all hold a CDA. In addition the ISD collaborations provide a degreed certified teacher in each classroom. Our educational staff includes experienced degreed Master Teachers who spend time in each classroom to provide mentoring and coaching to our teaching staff. Experienced staff is not only used in the classroom but throughout our company. CCAs child development support staff includes experienced educators social services professionals and an RN.

Child Ages:

3 years - 5 years

Licenses & Accreditations:

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Vouchers:

This provider accepts vouchers

Preschool:

Yes

Hours of Operation:

06:30 AM-06:00 PM - Monday - Friday