Child Care is one of the critical systems in Rhode Island and across the nation which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Rhode Island the child care system was already fragile, due to many years of being under-resourced. Due to chronic underfunding and the COVID-19 challenges, it is more important than ever…
2020 and 2021 have brought unprecedented, overwhelming, often painful change with the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, in the midst of this, there’s a beacon of hope – scientists were able to develop a safe, effective vaccine that protects against COVID. In the midst of so much change, it can be hard to know what to…
During the month of May, Children’s Friend is proud to honor the commitment and dedication of over 70 foster families who have provided unwavering safety, stability, and care for vulnerable foster children in our program. Last year, a global pandemic presented foster parents with some of the biggest challenges they have ever had to face….
“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness” William Arthur Ward I long to resume my pre-mask, pre-distance life and to celebrate this sense of freedom that has come with the vaccine! Most of all, to exchange a smile because it doesn’t matter what language you speak, all of us can relate to a…
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) is sharing resources to support the mental health and well-being of children, families, and staff. The COVID 19 pandemic has had a profound impact on mental health. Now, more than ever, I encourage you to explore the resources available….
Click here to see our special thank you videos! National Teacher Appreciation Day, May 4th National Nurses Day, May 6th This is a special week! We celebrate our nurses and teachers this first week in May for all they do to support the education and health of our children and families. Despite the challenges of…
The Rhode Island Head Start Association is pleased to announce its 7th annual Early Childhood Parent Conference. The conference will take place virtually each Wednesday in May, beginning May 5, 2021, from 9:30-12:30 and is free of charge. This series will feature a dynamic array of workshops facilitated by both early education professionals and parent leaders….
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Across the nation, reports of child abuse and neglect have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. What we don’t know yet is if actual occurrences of abuse and neglect have decreased, increased, or remained steady. There are many concerns that the increased financial and emotional stress of the…
Back in March, we wrote about the need to get at the root causes of child poverty by increasing family incomes. Shortly after, the historic American Rescue Plan was signed into law – and in it is an expanded child tax credit. An expanded child tax credit is a regular income boost for the…
A few days into my new role at Children’s Friend, I traveled to one of our sites for IT assistance with my laptop. While waiting in the parking lot at the site, a burst of energy brought my attention to the playground. A group of masked preschoolers began to run after each other with uninhibited…
