First Steps Kent

TO CREATE A COORDINATED, INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES THAT SUPPORTS ALL FAMILIES IN KENT COUNTY SO EVERY YOUNG CHILD IN KENT COUNTY WILL ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY WAS OBTAINING GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO IMPLEMENT, INCREASE, STRENGTHEN, AND COORDINATE THE NETWORK OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES IN KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FIRST STEPS KENT ADMINISTERS AND OVERSEES THE READY BY FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD MILLAGE (THE "READY BY FIVE MILLAGE") FOR PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SCHOOL READINESS, AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN THROUGH AGE FIVE. IT ALLOWS MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS KENT COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN TO INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. COMMUNITYBASED ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS HOME VISITING, PLAY AND LEARN GROUPS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING, AND NAVIGATION SUPPORT TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS THE HELP THEY NEED AND WANT. DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TO FUND ARE BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RESIDENT PROPOSAL REVIEW BOARD, WHICH INCLUDES PARENTS, KENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, A COMMUNITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT, AND A FIRST STEPS KENT COMMISSIONER.

SHARED SERVICES-IN 2019, FIRST STEPS KENT WAS SELECTED AS THE CONVENING ENTITY TO INCUBATE AND IMPLEMENT A QUALITY CHILDCARE SERVICE MODEL FOR KENT COUNTY THAT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN BY MAXIMIZING EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER CAPACITY. ONCE ESTABLISHED, THE SHARED SERVICES INITIATIVE WILL OFFER RESOURCES TO INCREASE BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SUPPORTS SUCH AS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM EXPERTS ON SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS ON BEST PRACTICES IN QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND DEVELOPING A COORDINATED PURCHASING SYSTEM TO ENSURE PROVIDERS RECEIVE VOLUME DISCOUNTS THAT WILL INCREASE THEIR BUYING POWER FOR SUPPLIES.

DATA PROJECTS-FIRST STEPS KENT SUPPORTS COMMUNITYWIDE DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVES FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF EXPECTANT PARENTS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN KENT COUNTY. THIS PROJECT TRACKS THE PROGRESS OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ALIGNING IN THREE KEY AREAS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO KINDERGARTEN READINESS, INCLUDING: CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY, CHILDREN ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY ON TRACK AND CHILD HEALTH. PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED A FORMAL PROCESS TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WITH THE IDENTIFYING OF CONTRIBUTING INDICATORS THAT ADD A MEASURABLE CONTEXT TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD VISION FOR KENT COUNTY, DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMS STAKEHOLDER MAP SHOWING THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONGEARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS DESIGNING PERFORMANCEBASED METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENTS EXECUTED WITH AGENCIES RECEIVING READY BY FIVE MILLAGE FUNDING.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FIRST STEPS KENT ADMINISTERS AND OVERSEES THE READY BY FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD MILLAGE (THE "READY BY FIVE MILLAGE") FOR PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SCHOOL READINESS, AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN THROUGH AGE FIVE. IT ALLOWS MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS KENT COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN TO INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. COMMUNITYBASED ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS HOME VISITING, PLAY AND LEARN GROUPS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING, AND NAVIGATION SUPPORT TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS THE HELP THEY NEED AND WANT. DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TO FUND ARE BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RESIDENT PROPOSAL REVIEW BOARD, WHICH INCLUDES PARENTS, KENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, A COMMUNITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT, AND A FIRST STEPS KENT COMMISSIONER.

SHARED SERVICES-IN 2019, FIRST STEPS KENT WAS SELECTED AS THE CONVENING ENTITY TO INCUBATE AND IMPLEMENT A QUALITY CHILDCARE SERVICE MODEL FOR KENT COUNTY THAT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN BY MAXIMIZING EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER CAPACITY. ONCE ESTABLISHED, THE SHARED SERVICES INITIATIVE WILL OFFER RESOURCES TO INCREASE BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SUPPORTS SUCH AS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM EXPERTS ON SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS ON BEST PRACTICES IN QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND DEVELOPING A COORDINATED PURCHASING SYSTEM TO ENSURE PROVIDERS RECEIVE VOLUME DISCOUNTS THAT WILL INCREASE THEIR BUYING POWER FOR SUPPLIES.

DATA PROJECTS-FIRST STEPS KENT SUPPORTS COMMUNITYWIDE DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVES FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF EXPECTANT PARENTS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN KENT COUNTY. THIS PROJECT TRACKS THE PROGRESS OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ALIGNING IN THREE KEY AREAS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO KINDERGARTEN READINESS, INCLUDING: CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY, CHILDREN ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY ON TRACK AND CHILD HEALTH. PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED A FORMAL PROCESS TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WITH THE IDENTIFYING OF CONTRIBUTING INDICATORS THAT ADD A MEASURABLE CONTEXT TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD VISION FOR KENT COUNTY, DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMS STAKEHOLDER MAP SHOWING THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONGEARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS DESIGNING PERFORMANCEBASED METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENTS EXECUTED WITH AGENCIES RECEIVING READY BY FIVE MILLAGE FUNDING.