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The hectic days of the holidays may be waning, but we know that a parent's job is never done! Count on us for the latest resources to help you in your parenting journey, especially when it comes to ensuring quality care for your child.
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FEATURED NEWS
Process Art Tips and Tricks from a Former Teacher
by Jamie Le Sesne Spears, Family Engagement Specialist
I have always found a purpose in art. The creative process provides me with time to think and space to express my feelings; but it wasn’t always that way!
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Being a bit of a perfectionist, it was hard to let go of the “cookie-cutter” crafts. I wanted so badly to be good at art that I completely missed the beauty in the process.
Enter in preschoolers.
I truly began to learn what it meant to “color outside of the lines” when I started teaching preschool. It was stressful mixing young children with art, especially when I had specific steps and a finished product in mind. But, each time a child veered from my expectation, I learned to simplify, step back, and let my students create. Read more on News & Stories...
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
Firefly: Your Resource for CCDF Vouchers
If you need assistance applying for CCDF vouchers or you have questions about your current voucher, Firefly is on-hand to help! You can connect with them through:
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- Phone: 317-545-5281
- Email: ccdfvouchers@fireflyin.org
- Office: Fay Biccard Glick Family Place, 3801 N. Temple Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46205
Additional child care financial assistance
Looking for additional ideas for child care financial assistance? We can help! Our resource center has a number of ideas for you to either get help paying for child care, or, connect to resources to help ease your budget in other ways. Learn more at our Paying for Care page.
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HOW WE CAN MEET YOUR ADDITIONAL NEEDS AS FAMILY NAVIGATORS
If your family has unmet daily needs beyond child care, connect with us so we can direct you to the organizations that can best serve your needs. As a part of the Child Care Resource & Referral Network, we are proud to partner with findhelp and Brighter Futures Indiana to serve as a family navigator to economic, social, career, and health resources, in addition to our core suite of child care and early education resources. Want to access resources on your own? Complete a self-assessment on findhelp today.
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Interested in searching for resources on your own? Complete the online self-assessment at findhelp.com.
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UPCOMING LIVE WORKSHOPS
UNLearning Series with Conner Prairie
- Reconnecting to Our Inner Child. January 26. 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. Zoom. Register.
- Diving Deeper with Conner Prairie. February 23. 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Zoom. Register.
- Exploring STEAM at Home. March 23. 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Zoom. Register.
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Book Swap Make and Take. January 19, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. JCC, 6701 Hoover Rd., Indiananpolis. Bring your little ones - no need to register ahead of time!
See the full list of our free workshops on our Events Calendar.
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VIDEOS AND RECORDINGS
We love having you attend our workshops so we can answer questions and you can share and learn from others in your same situation. But, as a busy parent, we know that you can't always attend at the day or time of the workshop. No need to worry - you can always find recordings over at our YouTube Channel. Here's a glimpse into what you might have missed!
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What is Paths to QUALITY? Find out in this short video to see how your program stacks up!
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We're also working on getting you the information you need in bite-sized chunks so you can watch in between naps or feedings.
Supporting Preschool and School-Age Behaviors
- What can I expect? Watch...
- How do I support emotions? Watch...
- What strategies do I need to know? Watch...
Short and Sweet
Is today a day where you just have 30 seconds to spare? Hop on over to our TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts channels for short, fun, and informative videos!
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FAMILY FUN IN CENTRAL INDIANA
Looking for ways to get your family out and about this winter? Our Family Fun page has some cool new resources like sledding hill bingo, winter scavenger hunts, winter farmer's markets and more in central Indiana. Read more...
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NEED RESOURCES IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH? ¡NO HAY PROBLEMA!
You can read this entire email in your own language. Just click here to view this email in your browser, then click the "Translate" button in the upper right corner. We're thrilled to be able to offer services and resources for families for whom English is not their first language. Learn more on our blog or in this short video in Spanish.
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Website
Every page on our website can be translated into almost 30 languages, including Haitian Creole, Burmese, Pashto, Ukrainian, Gujarati, and Polish. Is your language not listed? Let us know!
Education on Child Care Topics in Spanish
Bilingual family & community engagement specialist Megan Day recently recorded a series for families in partnership with Early Learning Connections. Watch the videos below or check out our entire suite of videos in Spanish!
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TEAM UPDATES
We are looking for volunteers with experience in marketing, finance, fundraising, HR, and/or non-profit expertise to join our board. If you or someone you know would be interested, please contact executive director Mollie Smith at mollies@childcareanswers.org.
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On Februrary 2, we plan to share our agency's successes from the previous year and where we are growing in the future. Please join us from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m on Zoom to see how YOU might be able to fit into our future - we would love to have you! Register.
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WE'RE HERE TO HELP!
Need additional support with topics such as breastfeeding, parenting a child with special needs, or finding child care? Complete our Family Information Form.
We are also available Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm at 317.636.5727. Please note that our offices will be closed Monday, January 16 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and March 2 for team professional development.
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Megan Day supports families, organizations, and communities where English is not the primary language. She helps these families find child care and get connected to resources that will help them in their journey.
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Lauren George provides one-on-one support and educates families on parenting topics such as breastfeeding, toilet training, challenging behaviors, and supporting a child with special needs.
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Jamie Le Sesne Spears helps families like yours find and understand what makes a quality child care program. She also helps you stay connected to your child's program to ensure the best experience for your child.
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Grace Sededji helps families find child care and educates them on how to choose a program. She also connects families to community resources related to child care, as well as broader supports that help them live happier, healthier lives.
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Tom Taylor leads Child Care Answers' Family & Community Engagement team. His influence reaches to businesses and employers, policymakers, community agencies, and, of course, central Indiana families like yours.
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