The Special Services Department offers many different programs to help young children and their family get a good start. Staff work with parents and caregivers on an ongoing basis to help children become more successful in the child care environment and at home. Regular meetings are held with the team of the parents, the caregiver and CCC Staff to find creative solutions for problematic issues.

Project Challenge
Eligibility requirements are that the child be:

• 0-5 years of age,
• Attending a child care setting
• Having behavior/emotional concerns in that setting.

For information call our office at 727-547-4212
E-mail projectchallenge@childcarepinellas.org

New Beginnings

Staff works with parents and caregivers to ensure that each child is developmentally on target, and to provide intervention and referral services as needed. Each child is given developmental screenings regularly, and when there is a concern, it is addressed immediately. Home assessments are also offered to parents to help them find the best ways to work with each child.

Eligibility requirements are:

• The child must be 0-5 years of age,
• Prenatally exposed to drugs or alcohol,
• The child must be in, or in need of child care services.
  

For information call our office at 727-547-4212
E-mail newbeginnings@childcarepinellas.org

Project Safety Net

A variety of services are offered to families, including regular meetings with a Child and Family Consultant, suggestions for developmentally appropriate activities for children, referrals for food, housing, counseling, and other needs.

To be eligible, families must be referred by the Safe Children's Coalition or the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

For more information call our office at 727-547-4280
E-mail safetynet@childcarepinellas.org

School Readiness/Developmental Screening Program

For children in Coordinated Child Care, developmental questionnaires are completed by caregivers every four to six months, and returned to the Special Services unit to be scored. When there is any question about the child's development, CCC staff contact the parent for permission, then go to the child care setting and do a formal screening with the child. The results of this screening are left for the parent, and when appropriate an appointment scheduled to discuss the screening results. Children are then referred for further assessment, as needed.

Children who attend child care but are NOT receiving scholarship services may be referred for screening when there is a developmental concern.

For information call 727-547-4282 or
e-mail SchoolReadiness@childcarepinellas.org