About This Program
Prevention and Early Intervention Services for Young Children, Parents, and Caregivers
Overview
Parent Child Centers are recognized community resource centers that provide expertise on prevention and early intervention services such as parenting, early childhood development, education, referral, and related services to prospective parents and families with young children, including those whose children are medically, socially, or educationally at risk. Our Parent Child Center programming consists of five teams (Early Intervention Franklin/Grand Isle, Early Intervention Chittenden, Early Childhood Support, Early Childhood Resource and the HEART team), which operate a variety of prevention-based programs serving pregnant/postpartum caregivers and families with young children in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.
Our Parent Child Center is committed to providing, at a minimum, 8 core services to prospective parents and families with children from birth to age six with particular attention to families and children experiencing medical, socio-economic, or developmental challenges.
Program Options
Children’s Integrated Services (CIS) is a group of services for pregnant/ postpartum parents, children birth through six and their families, and early care and education providers. CIS includes Early Intervention, Specialized Child Care, Early Childhood & Family Mental health, and Strong Families Vermont, which are services all offered through our Parent Child Center.
Early Intervention Services (EI) provides regional early intervention services to families with children birth to age three who have a delay in development or a medical/genetic condition with a high probability of developmental delay. Services are provided in the setting of the family’s choice (home, child care, physician’s office, playgroup, etc.) and may include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, as well as coordination of services. Families are connected with the supports and resources needed to meet their child’s unique needs through the development of a One Plan. The Developmental Educator provides support to the family during the transition from EI, on or before the child’s third birthday.
The Early Childhood Support team consists of home visitors with expertise in early childhood development, parenting education and support, and knowledge of community resources. The team uses Strengthening Families: A Protective Factors Framework to increase and build strengths in families. The Early Childhood Support team strives to help young children and their families through: CIS Early Childhood & Family Mental Health, CIS Strong Families Vermont, and Mental Health Consultation to Champlain Valley Head Start.
Our team offers support to pregnant parents, children birth to age 6, and their caregivers through the CIS programs Early Childhood & Family Mental Health and Strong Families Vermont. These programs work to ensure families have access to safe and nurturing environments, encourage healthy social-emotional development, and encourage school-readiness. Early Childhood Specialists provide parenting education, developmental screenings, behavior support, early care and education observations, referral to community resources, and care coordination. Some home visitors are certified in the national Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting model. PAT is an evidence-based home visiting model designed to provide support to families in the home to address parent child interaction, development- centered parenting, and family well-being. The team is trained in the trauma- informed model ARC: Attachment, Regulation and Competency.
Champlain Valley Head Start (CVHS) contracts with the Parent Child Center of NCSS for mental health consultation to classroom teachers and families. Classrooms can request observations and families can be referred for a personal consultation through a home visit.
The Early Childhood Resource team runs a robust Community Child Care Support Agency (CCCSA) program at NCSS, which comprises the Child Care Referral and Financial Assistance programs. These programs assist families in refining the search process for child care, and supports eligible families or individuals with the cost of child care. The team aims to support families in finding programs that are high quality and meet their needs. The team also supports families, child care providers, and social workers in accessing Specialized Child Care in our region, in addition to serving as a general access point for families to receive family-centered services, concrete supports, and local and statewide resources.
The HEART program provides universal home visiting and support to families during the perinatal period in the home and various embedded locations where families in the perinatal period frequent, including our local OBGYN office. The program focuses on attachment, parent-child relationships, infant development, social support, parental resilience, and reducing parental mental health symptoms. Families may receive visits from a perinatal family specialist, certified postpartum doula, a master-level mental health clinician, or all three. HEART employs a multi-generational, family-centered approach, including support for non-birthing partners, to enhance family bonding and attachment. Families who have experienced a loss are able to receive a weighed bear and receive consultative therapeutic supports post-loss, in addition to resources for ongoing support.
DULCE (Developmental Understanding and Legal Collaboration for Everyone) is a national model of integration of behavioral health with pediatrics. DULCE is a partnership between the Parent Child Center of NCSS, Timber Lane Pediatrics- Milton, and Vermont Legal Aid. DULCE Family Specialists are members of the pediatric care team and provide screenings, referrals, and support to all families with infants from birth until six months of age.
Parent Child Center Programs
Explore our programming options:
Get Started with the Parent Child Center
Interested in learning more about our programming?
Continue Exploring
Additional Early Childhood & School Based Services
From mental health to developmental and family support, we offer a wide range of services designed to support you, your loved ones, and your community.
Not sure where to start?
If you’re still exploring options or have questions about which of our programs might be the right fit, we’re here to help. Our team can guide you through our available services and outline the next steps based on your needs.