New website that answers families’ top questions about child care/early learning

The first five years lay the foundation of a child’s learning and success for life. The choices that families make during these early years can have a lifelong impact. The questions themselves can be overwhelming:

• Can I afford quality childcare?
• What do I do if I have questions about my child’s development?
• How do I deal with challenging behaviors?
• How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten?

Children don’t come with manuals, but the redesigned Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children website, www.papromiseforchildren.com, is a good place to start.

All of the information on the site is from reliable sources like the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning. This redesigned site is special because it has:

• The top questions families ask about their child's early learning included in the "slider images" on the front page, so even if a family member isn't sure where to start, these questions help them get started.
• Better navigation throughout the site, making it easier to use.
• Completely redesigned county pages with county-specific stories and events, and links to resources that families ask most about.
• A full array of simple ways that families can get involved in helping young children reach their promise from activities they can do at home to becoming champions for all children.

The redesigned website also includes the new Early Learning GPS (Guiding Parents Smoothly.) This interactive 10-question quiz guides families through the most important things they should know and can do to help their young child learn and grow. After families answer a question, they receive helpful tips and links to reliable resources. Families can also complete a short worksheet with ways they want to use these tips in their daily life.

This month, Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children also received the Progressive Education of Children in the Arts Network, Inc.’s Media Award for media that influences children in positive, productive ways by use of auditory and visual arts. Past winners include Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and WITF Inc.

Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of providing young children with quality early learning opportunities. Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Build Initiative, The Heinz Endowments, William Penn Foundation, and The Grable Foundation. More than 18,500 Pennsylvanians have signed the Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children declaration that they believe quality early education is vital for Pennsylvania’s future. For more information, visit www.papromiseforchildren.com