Agenda - 05-19-1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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034 The results were as follows: 31 respondents identified 80 troubled children 2-5 years of age 10 centers had "expelled" a preschooler in the past year because of these problems. In addition, an unusually high percentage of preschoolers with working mothers in Orange County are in center-based child care (as opposed to informal arrangements such as rela- tives, sitters, day care homes, etc.) Of the conservatively estimated 2000-2500 Orange County children 5 and under in need of child care (with mothers in the work force) 2078 were in day care centers or preschools in 1986. What Has Been Done? An extensive needs assessment and resource survey carried out in the spring of 1986 led to the creation of a Planning Committee in June. Planning Committee members, repre- senting a broad range of individuals and agencies, met over the summer and planned a county-wide forum to focus attention on the issue and to draw together people committed to working to develop services. Seventy-five persons met September 27 for "A Community Wide Forum to Look at the Needs of Emotionally Troubled Preschoolers, their Families, and the Child Care Programs that Serve Them". Co-sponsored by eighteen county organiza- tions and agencies, the forum presented a range of speakers, ( 1) describing the troubled child, (2) discussing what is already available in the county, and (3) looking at other program models in use in nearby areas of North Carolina. The majority of those in attendance signed up for further work groups. At the initial follow-up meeting on November 17, four working committees were set up to begin formulating proposals; ( 1) Coordinating/Fundraising (2) Resource Assessment/Coordination (3) Consultation, (4) Therapeutic Preschool. Each committee will meet and report back to a full group meeting in February. - r What is The Next Step? At the September forum, all participants worked in small groups to develop suggestions for "what should be our first step?" It was clear that the top priority was to develop on-site consultation (for treatment and prevention) for child care programs (preschools and day care centers), their staff, and the families of troubled children. Other major concerns were coordination of available resources for parents and professionals and the development of services for more seriously disordered children. The work of the four committees focuses on these areas. In all efforts undertaken, the committees are committed to the premises developed for the forum (see attachment.)