Program Type: Children's Programs

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)

Two Children SmilingHome Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a parent involvement, school readiness program that helps parents prepare their two through six-year-old children for success in school. The parent is provided with a set of carefully developed curriculum and materials designed to strengthen their child’s cognitive, early literacy, social/emotional, and physical development skills.

HIPPY empowers parents to become their child’s first teacher by giving them the tools and confidence they need to work with their children in the home. The program was designed to bring families, organizations, and communities together and remove any barriers for participation like limited financial resources or lack of education.

This program is available for individuals living in Manatee, DeSoto, and Hardee Counties.

Parents As Teachers (PAT)

Woman Playing with Young ChildThe Parents As Teachers (PAT) program provides support for families through home visits, group events, a variety of health and developmental screenings, and a network of community resources. Using the PAT integrated service model, families work on a variety of goals, including increasing parental knowledge of child and family development, improving school readiness skills, and linking early intervention services to children with developmental concerns.

Families and Parent Educators work together to support the optimal development for children while meeting the needs of the family. Parent Educators provide fun, educational, and engaging activities for family members to enjoy together.

This program is available to families living in DeSoto, Hardee and Manatee counties.

Parents as Teachers is supported by the Florida Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Initiative.

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Healthy Families Manatee

Family and Volunteer Playing with BabyHealthy Families Manatee is a voluntary home visiting program providing family support, parent education, and child development. Healthy Families can work with you and your family from pregnancy through the early years of your child’s life. A family support worker will meet with you in your home and provide you with support and information to help you become the best parent you can be!

Here are some of the ways we can help:

  • Provide prenatal education for a healthy pregnancy
  • Provide fun, creative, hands-on activities to help you learn about your child’s development
  • Share ideas on caring for babies, toddlers, and young children
  • Help you to locate and utilize community resources that can assist you in reaching your goals
  • Provide assistance with problems that can make parenting stressful
  • Provide support individualized to meet your family’s needs

This program is available to families living in Manatee County who are expecting a child or have a child under three months of age.

Healthy Families Manatee is sponsored by Manatee County Government, Healthy Families America, the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, and the Florida Department of Children and Families.

         

 

Head Start and Early Head Start at Rise and Shine Early Learning

Volunteer Reading to ChildrenHead Start and Early Head Start provide early childhood education and family engagement services focused on closing the achievement gap for children throughout Manatee County. At our six Rise and Shine Early Learning centers, we offer comprehensive childhood development programs serving children from birth to five years of age.

Our center-based programs foster development in a safe, stimulating learning environment and prepare children – including children with disabilities – for kindergarten, while enhancing social and cognitive development and addressing health, nutritional and social services for our families.

This program is available to families living in Manatee County.

This website is supported by Grant Numbers 04HP000537, 04HP000493, and 04CH011915 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of Step Up Suncoast and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.

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Collaborative Action Therapy for Children’s Health (CATCH)

The CATCH program prioritizes early intervention to developmental delays by providing developmental screening, evaluation, and therapy for children aged 24 months through five years old. The CATCH program model allows families to address these issues before children begin kindergarten and reduces barriers to access to speech and language, occupational, and behavioral therapies for underserved children in Manatee County.

Developmental Screenings

Screening focuses on language, articulation, connected speech, social/interpersonal communication skills, stuttering, voice disorders, motor skills, and more. Screenings are provided to children in their childcare centers on-site. Children not attending a childcare center or family childcare are screened at the Step Up Suncoast office.

If the screening identifies a possible concern, parents receive the screening results as well as referrals for further evaluation and therapy.

Evaluation

If a delay is identified, our specialist works with the child's family in order to determine their family's ability to access further evaluation and/or therapy, considering factors such as insurance coverage, finances, transportation access, and local support systems. Referrals to private providers are made if insurance or family means make private care a viable solution for the family. Where appropriate, the specialist also refers clients to the Florida Diagnostic Learning and Resource Systems within the Manatee County School District and Gulf Central Early Steps for further assessment and/or therapy.

Speech-and-Language, Occupational, and Behavioral Therapy

Families unable to access therapy due to a lack of transportation or financial resources are eligible to receive services through licensed therapists provided by the CATCH program. Services will be provided in the child's childcare center or through telehealth. Screenings and subsequent therapy appointments are provided year-round, on weekdays, during the hours of operation of the childcare centers of the children being served.

This program is available to families living in Manatee County.