{"id":117269,"date":"2023-03-31T22:18:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-01T02:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=117269"},"modified":"2023-03-31T22:18:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-01T02:18:00","slug":"easterseals-eastern-pennsylvania-supports-kindergarten-readiness-through-make-the-first-five-count-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=117269","title":{"rendered":"Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania Supports Kindergarten Readiness Through Make the First Five Count Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania Supports Kindergarten Readiness Through Make the First Five Count Program<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Make the First Five Count Celebrates 9 Years in the Region<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Kindergarten readiness, developmental delays a topic of national discussion in March, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"m_2184633758887938569__heading=h.30j0zll\"><\/a>(<strong>March 31, 2023 \u2013 Allentown, Pennsylvania<\/strong>) Many parents are unsure what developmental markers their children should be achieving, especially when it comes time for kindergarten enrollment. Similarly, parents who are concerned that their child is not advancing at an appropriate pace are often unaware of the services available in their community, not knowing where to turn for answers and support. That is where Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania steps in with the Make the First Five Count initiative. Since 2014, with grants from local funders, Easterseals has helped provide support services to parents and children up to age five, ensuring children at risk of developmental delays, disabilities or autism have what they need to be school ready and build a foundation for a lifetime of learning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhether it is through screenings, support services, workshops or taking a call to answer a parent\u2019s question, we want to help families track their child\u2019s development, celebrate their progress, and act early if there is a concern,\u201d says Jill Glose, Vice President, Clinical Services at Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania. \u201cIt is a program that can benefit every child and parent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Make the First Five Count began in the Lehigh Valley and then expanded into Berks County in 2017. \u201cWe have completed over 6,000 screenings and provided referral services or monitoring activities to over 1,800 children identified as having a possible developmental delay or disability,\u201d says Glose. \u201cAnd this was made possible through community partnerships and grant funding provided by local supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Harry C. Trexler Trust was instrumental in launching the program in Allentown and supporting its growth and development in Lehigh County over the years. A recent, multi-year grant from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley will position the program to serve even more children across the Lehigh Valley. In Berks County, the program is funded by the United Way of Berks County. Aligning nicely with the literacy and education initiatives of these funding agencies, Make the First Five Count creates an opportunity to work collaboratively with schools and other nonprofits to support their efforts to advance language and literacy development of children, from birth to five years old.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIntervention prior to kindergarten has huge academic, social and economic benefits,\u201d states Mindy McCormick, President &amp; CEO of Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania. \u201cAs children grow older, the skills they acquire through early intervention programs develop into more complex skills related to language, number literacy, socialization, and cooperative play. Children who receive early treatment for developmental delays build a stronger foundation for success in the classroom and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For school districts, early childhood interventions can reduce the need for remedial education and special education placements, thereby lowering public school expenditures. For example, a public elementary school in Lehigh County spends an average of $10,436 to $15,048 annually to educate a child. Providing remedial or special education services for a child can add an additional $26,000-$53,000 annually depending on the level of support and amount of services received.<\/p>\n<p>Through the Make the First Five Count program, parents have access to free developmental screening tools, workshops, and supplemental support. An Easterseals child development specialist provides parents with a detailed explanation of the screening results, referrals to appropriate resources, support in understanding their options, and activities that they can do at home to reinforce their child\u2019s skills development.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis holistic approach helps parents understand what is happening with their child, what to expect from county agencies, and how to advocate for their child,\u201d says Jill Glose. \u201cImparting this knowledge empowers parents to address their child\u2019s needs, allays fears, and removes confusion. Parents even have the opportunity to re-screen the child over time to see if the interventions are having the desired impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When Easterseals was experiencing situations with many families expressing frustration with wait times for services after a referral or children needing more support than they were getting, they added Supplemental Developmental Support to Make the First Five Count. This bridge program connects parents with a child development specialist for individualized sessions to provide learning activities and intervention strategies they can implement while waiting for services to begin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe look to identify gaps in services and ways we can bring the expertise we have in early childhood development and disability services to meet critical needs in the community,\u201d states McCormick. \u201cAnd we leverage partnerships and collaborations with school districts, nonprofit organizations, pediatricians, and childcare centers to reach as many children and families as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about Make the First Five Count, the free screenings, workshops and other resources on Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania\u2019s website at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.easterseals.com\/esep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Easterseals.com\/esep<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=DVMxc7bcMlkxgMbKTxfO0yTbEJ4Q3yewZe3yFwUDZDptWGb4MlTWOoEZDTt9LuBBWT0E_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoAZaD34TYRx6zmgvxOh2tm63kVPTId1mj2wnhuyjxwvip0mzCnFc2TS-2B8ORMQTBAwjYjutzIhXae7NgD-2F0mgu0IMI7ZhYszRUjbkaz4iCtAm-2BBGy4YxgLr0XdtJsbDWiyzpwXzrAG79kMsP-2BUiacR6FmIu7LWMtsETz34t-2FblsPAe-2Bw8fvbXmhQ6ZvvTaPzvyxmcP2G8lp-2B0SRtz6HYaae0i8eeYKhpo6B2lDqlaM4Nkwhgb1OIimOqBPXfiXYbRoin42x-2FWS31cOaFejTje-2FotRUjRkfMvM12H1nYyDk-2BBtqLF1WxbsnFQx0qaT0Btyk41DBOpbxMrRPVHgqGVc9Xg-3D-3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn%3DDVMxc7bcMlkxgMbKTxfO0yTbEJ4Q3yewZe3yFwUDZDptWGb4MlTWOoEZDTt9LuBBWT0E_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoAZaD34TYRx6zmgvxOh2tm63kVPTId1mj2wnhuyjxwvip0mzCnFc2TS-2B8ORMQTBAwjYjutzIhXae7NgD-2F0mgu0IMI7ZhYszRUjbkaz4iCtAm-2BBGy4YxgLr0XdtJsbDWiyzpwXzrAG79kMsP-2BUiacR6FmIu7LWMtsETz34t-2FblsPAe-2Bw8fvbXmhQ6ZvvTaPzvyxmcP2G8lp-2B0SRtz6HYaae0i8eeYKhpo6B2lDqlaM4Nkwhgb1OIimOqBPXfiXYbRoin42x-2FWS31cOaFejTje-2FotRUjRkfMvM12H1nYyDk-2BBtqLF1WxbsnFQx0qaT0Btyk41DBOpbxMrRPVHgqGVc9Xg-3D-3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680355131777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2r3acHEzo4gEbvICjBeo9-\">Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania<\/a>\u00a0serves children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities, autism, and other social, sensory, and developmental disorders and their families through various programs\u00a0designed to increase independence, maximize opportunities, minimize barriers, and enhance the quality of life. Throughout the Lehigh Valley, Berks County, and northeastern Pennsylvania, Easterseals fosters environments where everyone is included and empowered regardless of ability.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Information provided to TVL by:<br \/>\n&#8211;ts PR &amp; Event Planning<br \/>\nwww.tseventplanning.com<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania Supports Kindergarten Readiness Through Make the First Five Count Program Make the First Five Count Celebrates 9 Years in the Region Kindergarten readiness, developmental delays a topic &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=117269\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania Supports Kindergarten Readiness Through Make the First Five Count Program<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117270,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/easterseals.jpg?fit=672%2C372&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=117269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/117270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=117269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=117269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=117269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}