Cheerful Home Childcare & Early Learning

Goals -

1) Our curriculum emphasizes active learning in the areas of:

a) Active Learning We encourage children to be actively involved in the learning process, and to experience a multitude of developmentally appropriate activities and materials. We work to pursue their interest in the context of their life, their community, and the world.

b) Cognitive Development We work to stimulate your childs intellect or thinking ability through creative activities, discussions, and verbal interactions that stimulate analytical thought development.

c) Social Development Staff encourage and foster acceptable social skills through play- based activities, role-modeling, and the structure of our program. Staff recognize and encourage prosocial behaviors such as cooperation, helping, taking turns, and talking to solve problems.

d) Emotional Development Staff interact frequently with children expressing respect and affection by smiling, holding, and having meaningful conversations with your child. Staff further foster and assist children to acknowledge and honor their feelings and thoughts in ways that do not harm others.

e) Physical Development Our staff assist our children to learn and accomplish large and small muscle coordination through play-based activities that foster and stimulate physical awareness and esteem.

2) Staff Emphasis and Training is upon:

a) Quality Experiences for our Children Staff are trained and encouraged to offer play- based activities that promote the learning of social skills, verbal skills, analytical skills, and physical development skills.

b) Retaining and Maintaining Highly Experienced Staff Cheerful Home has many experienced staff, some with over 20 years of experience! We value our staff, as we value your children and their welfare.

c) Promoting Staff further Education and Training Great emphasis is placed upon staff training and further education. We support our staff attending college courses applicable to child care, and offer a multitude of varied trainings applicable to our child care staff and appropriate developmental practices.

3) Cheerful Home maintains Licensure and Accreditation from:

a) Licensure: Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Licensing by DCFS is required to operate a day care in the state of Illinois. This license requires minimum standards of care for all children in this facility. This license insures number of teachers and aides, numbers of children per classroom, nutrition, background checks, and the types of employees who may be employed at Cheerful Home.

DCFS Licensing was renewed this October.

b) Accreditation: National Association for the Education of Young Children This accreditation literally sets us apart from other child care facilities. To maintain this accreditation we must not only surpass all DCFS minimum standards, but also maintain the highest quality of developmental curriculum, teaching methods, and care to all children. This accreditation not only states that we will be a teaching facility, but requires the highest quality of teaching and care for us to maintain our accreditation. We are currently 1 of 2 Child Cares in Quincy with this accreditation.

Our NAEYC (National Association For The Education of the Young Child) Accreditation has been extended until 2006.

4) Cultural Diversity is recognized by:

a) Curriculum focus upon learning cultural and religious differences and honoring those differences Staff treat children of all races, religions, family backgrounds and heritage with equal respect and consideration. Books, dolls, toys, and activities reflect diverse images that children may not get exposed to elsewhere.

b) Activities embrace differences among us while teaching us to cooperate with one another Our staff initiates activities and discussions to build positive self-identity and teach the value of differences. The staff always speaks positively about each childs physical characteristics and cultural heritage.

5) Cheerful Home maintains an in-house Outreach Child and Family Support Program which assists with such needs as:

a) Typical and Atypical Childhood Concerns Our in-house counselor is available to address and assist with such issues as biting, potty training, speech, behavioral problems, and medical conditions.

b) Parenting Concerns and Education Our in-house counselor frequently assists parents with discipline concerns, bedtime struggles, nutrition concerns, and developmental milestones.

c) Family Stress and or Crisis When a death, divorce, moving or budgeting crisis occurs our in-house is readily available to provide assistance and resource referrals as needed.

d) Referrals, Collaboration and Coordination with Outside Support Services Referrals to career counselors, budget counselors, mental health counselors, and educational counselors have been provided on an as-needed or requested basis.