The healthiest meetings encourage “equality of voices.” Creating the space for check-ins at the top of a meeting will allow your most introverted members to contribute and set the expectation that everyone shares and are heard. Check-ins can take the place of the usual chit-chat that happens at the beginning of meetings. When you take…
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott announced that all RI schools will return to in-person learning in the fall. The Commissioner stated, “It is crucial that we accelerate learning across the state, and we know there is no substitute for in-person learning.” At Children’s Friend we…
The official start of summer kicked off yesterday with the longest day of the year. Here at Children’s Friend, we are preparing to welcome 400 preschool children in the most extensive Summer Learning Program ever for the agency. With the COVID-19 pandemic having lasting effects on our most vulnerable children, a high-quality summer learning experience…
At Children’s Friend we believe when fathers are actively involved in their child’s life the whole family thrives. We continue to actively engage fathers in all of our programs and services and are proud to further enhance our fatherhood initiatives through a workforce training program designed specifically for fathers. Through collaborations with Amos House, Groundworks…
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…
