Our Therapeutic Early Childhood Program provides enriching classroom experiences for children ages 2-5 years, with a focus on social emotional development and building resilience.
Our approach in the classroom draws from the most up-to-date understanding of child development, parent-child attachment, early education and early intervention, and child and family counseling.
The curriculum, routines, and environment are designed to support the individual needs of each child. They have many avenues to explore sensory experiences, garden and nature activities, creative expression, and movement activities that help counter the effects of stress.
Our classrooms are staffed with two teachers and at least one volunteer so that each child is able to receive individual support and connection. More than half of our teachers are bilingual / bicultural, and we provide home visits in English and Spanish, depending on the needs of each family. Our classrooms reflect the rich cultural heritage of the children, families and staff.
Child and family therapists and early special education specialists are integrated classroom supports and are also available to meet with families on-site or in their homes. All children are screened for developmental concerns and are provided early intervention services on-site as needed.
Classroom staff work in collaboration with parents to support children’s learning. The child’s classroom teacher provides home visits in order to build relationships with the whole family and to support the family in developing their protective factors:
- Access to Basic Needs
- Social Connections
- Understanding of Child Development
- Social Emotional Competence
- Parental Resilience
Protective factors support positive outcomes for children, even if a family has experienced high levels of stress. The Therapeutic Early Childhood Program is provided at no cost to enrolled families and is part of Relief Nursery’s comprehensive services: