Welcome, parents, caregivers, and family members!

Every parent has questions about how to help their child reach his or her potential. It is important to understand "normal" child development, as well as how your child is unique. If only children came with a manual! Because your child is always changing, asking questions is a necessary and ongoing part of being a parent.

  • Click on the orange tabs on the left side for important topic areas.
  • Click on County Services to find agencies that can help your child and family with a variety of needs.
  • Click on any of the questions below for further information.

How do I find out about...

+ How do I find out about early literacy materials in other languages?

Washington Learning Systems is making their “On the Go” materials available, at no cost, parent-child early literacy activities in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Somali, Burmese and Russian.

The development of these materials was supported in part by Grant H324M020084 from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and by funding from Washington Learning Systems.

Language and early literacy activities: Free and Reproducible
Developed by Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D, and Judy Challoner, M.S.
Illustrations: Don Syverson

These materials include home and community activities for adults and young children (birth to five) that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.

Each of the activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. An activity checklist helps parents and caregivers notice their children's skills, and also cues adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children.

The materials are made available by Angela Notari-Syverson and colleagues, and may be copied and distributed as long as they are not sold.

To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the button that says "Literacy Resources" on the home page. You will need to create a logon account using your email address and a password.

For questions please contact:
Mary Maddox
Washington Learning Systems
2212 Queen Anne Ave. No. Ste. 726
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 310-7401 FAX (206) 283-9243
mmaddox@walearning.com

+ The Early Learning Community Lecture Series sponsored by MIELL?
The Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy sponsors one to two community lectures per year on varied topics about early learning. We invite nationally-known experts to share their research and experiences with the local early childhood community in Colorado.

Most recently in October 2010, we featured Dr. John Medina, author of Brain Rules for Baby. Please visit the Brain Rules website for more information, chapter summaries and videos. You can also download Practical Tips which are ways to apply the research discussed in Brain Rules for Baby to the real world of parenting.

In April 2010, we featured Dr. Jill Stamm, author of Bright from the Start and Co-Founder of The New Directions Institute. In 2009, we featured Dr. Douglas Clements, a leading authority on early math. His powerpoint can be accessed here.
In 2009, we also featured Dr. Mike Lopez and that powerpoint can be accessed here.

+ How to contact the Early Childhood Council in my area?
There are three ways to find the Early Childhood Council in your area. 1) Click here and either scroll down or type the county name in the Search box. 2) View or download the 2010-2011 Early Childhood Councils Directory. 3) Go to the Colorado Department of Education's Early Childhood Councils website for up-to-date contact information for statewide council coordinators.

+ What to do if I am concerned about the development of my child, or a child I care for?
Click on the age of the child to find agencies that will provide a developmental evaluation for a child who is birth to age 3, or age 3-5.

+ Locating child care or preschool for my child?
A broad child care search can be done at Qualistar , which shows all licensed settings as well as the star ratings for those centers that have been through the Qualistar process, or at the licensing body, the Department of Human Services , which has a handy map showing you where each facility is located in your area, and gives you the option to un-click facilities that don’t meet your criteria.

Also remember that if you need live assistance from someone who can help you find child care and other services in your area, access your local resource and referral agency. The link to the “resource and referral” search on this website is the first link on this page, above.

+ Helping my child succeed in school?
Understanding how to help support your child in school can really make a difference. Here is a list of 20 ways to help your child succeed in school. Being involved in your child’s education is also an important way of supporting your child. Why is it important to get involved in my child’s education?

+ Getting financial assistance to help me pay for child care for my child?
The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps low-income parents who are working or in school/training to pay for child care.

In addition, the Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) exists as a special support to families with certain risk factors such as poverty, homelessness, teen parents, or English language learners. Most school districts offer CPP. If you qualify, the program will pay a portion of the cost, and also provides a high level of quality assurance for participating facilities. You will need to call someone at the contact numbers here to help you determine whether your child may be eligible.

For families in the city and county of Denver who have children who will be entering their last year prior to kindergarten , the Denver Preschool Program may be available to you as an additional financial support.

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