Early Interactive Experiences Lay The Foundation
Early interactive experiences – like peekaboo, reading books, and singing – lay a solid foundation. When children miss out on quality early learning experiences, we all miss out on the benefits of children who are ready to learn and achieve.
By supporting policies and programs that help all kids get off to a healthy start, we build a thriving Bastrop County.
The Coalition works to ensure all young children are safe, healthy, and ready for school. We are a group of providers, policymakers, government leaders, experts, parents, and philanthropists supported by Bastrop County Cares, that provides backbone support. Our common vision is that “ALL families in Bastrop County are connected to their community and providing a safe, healthy, and school–ready environment for their children.” The coalition uses local indicators to track progress over time through Results-Based Accountability (RBA).
Today’s children determine tomorrow’s future. When we ensure that all children in Bastrop County get off to a strong start, we ensure that Bastrop County will thrive in the future. The architecture of the developing brain is established in the earliest stages of life. Early interactive experiences – like peekaboo, reading books, and singing – lay a solid foundation.
When children miss out on quality early learning experiences, we all miss out on the benefits of children who are ready to learn and achieve.
Everyone can help build healthy brains in small ways, like turning “wait time” in line to “talk time” that engages young children. On a deeper level, we all have a role in supporting policies and programs that help Bastrop County kids get off to a healthy start. Our community must ensure that:
All people who care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers foster early brain development
Every family with young children has access to:
-high-quality early learning opportunities
-access to the health care
-a social support network
The resources we devote to early childhood make a long-term difference because the early years lay the foundation for all the learning and development that follows. By investing early, we can build a thriving Bastrop County.
Early Childhood Education
• Increase the quality of childcare centers serving low-income children
• Increase Pre-K 3 offerings through partnerships with
school districts
Health: Family Wellness
Sub-Committee
• Increase support for pregnant women of color
• Identify pregnancies early & facilitate connecting pregnant mothers to appropriate health care, particularly high-risk populations
• Expand the Family Connects program
• Increase the number of young children who have health insurance
Communications
Sub-Committee
• Implement an Early Childhood Awareness Campaign to
emphasize the value of the early years to build brain development and racial equity
Safety Sub-Committee
• Expand Family Friendly Substance Use Recovery Programs
• Increase awareness and access to Domestic Violence Services in Bastrop County
• Increase use of mental services for young children in
Bastrop county
• Increase parenting support that targets traditionally
underserved populations within the county
Help Me Grow Bastrop County
Bastrop County and our Early Childhood coalition is honored to be a Help Me Grow network site for Texas. Convene EC coalition committees, community partners, providers, Community Health Workers, and families to collaborate on ways to engage and educate families in promoting positive early childhood development. Our ECC is underway in making these core components of HMG our existing initiatives and efforts.
ParentPowered
ParentPowered is for caregivers of children from birth through 12th grade. We send text messages each week with activities to help your child grow, fun facts and tips based on your child’s age. Text BCC to 70138
([The texts help me] know what topics to discuss or what questions to ask to learn from [my children] and also to help them learn.)”
(I have learned how to handle the situation at home with the children without stressing them, learning together as a family.)”
(The information is easy to understand and easy to practice with my daughter.)”
Everyone Can Play a Part in Building Healthy Brains
Pledge to be a brain builder and do your part to build healthy brains in Bastrop County. I accept my role, big or small, in ensuring all children are safe, healthy, and ready for school.
✅ I pledge to learn more about the crucial years of 0-5 years old. I will spread the word that the key to building a thriving Bastrop County starts with building the brains of our youngest children.
Impact of Our Work
- 2 playgrounds were built in underserved communities (Stony Point and McDade)
- Over 700 babies have seen by Family Connects Home Visiting Program
- The Parents as Teachers program was launched July 2018
- Central Family Services (HeadStart) and Bastrop ISD partnership and collaboration to serve 0-3 year olds at three campuses
The Best Place For Working Parents Designees
Alley Medical Group
Bastrop Chamber of Commerce
Bastrop City Hall
Bastrop County Cares
Bastrop Independent School District
Calvary Episcopal School
Capital Rural Transportation System
Cen-Tex Family Services
Centex Mechanical
City of Bastrop
City of Smithville
Consumer Safety Technology
Down Home Ranch
Family Crisis Center
First National Bank of Bastrop
Frontier Bank of Texas
Germer Insurance Services
Smithville Workforce Training Center
Strive Strength and Conditioning
Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
The Nitsche Group
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area
