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| Family Child Care |
- El Primer Paso offers referrals to a network of family childcare providers who are registered with Child & Family Resources in Mt. Arlington--the state-authorized resource and referral agency for Morris County.
- These providers, who receive training and home inspections from Child & Family Resources, care for up to five children in their homes. The providers are Spanish-speaking and provide flexible, affordable childcare options for Latino families in the area. There are between 18-25 providers in the network, providing slots for as many as 125 children in Dover and surrounding towns.
- El Primer Paso sponsors these caregivers in the NJ Department of Agriculture's Child Care Food Program, performing home monitoring visits in conjunction with the program. The food program provides well-balanced, nutritious meals and snacks for children in family childcare at no cost to their parents.
- Throughout the year, El Primer Paso offers discounted or no-cost professional development for the family childcare providers on topics related to their work, including child development, nutrition, food preparation and hygiene, health and safety, and business management. In addition, all registered providers are certified in CPR and first-aid. Childcare providers receive monthly resource packets with informative newsletters, educational activities, books and crafts for the children in family care.
- Through a cooperative partnership with another community service agency, Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs (MCOHA), free busing services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis for children who are dual-enrolled in El Primer Paso's preschool and family childcare programs. This transportation enables the children of working parents to attend the preschool. Currently, there is a waiting list for busing services, and El Primer Paso has requested assistance from the County of Morris to provide additional resources for transportation of children in family childcare. The physical proximity of the school to families served also helps to overcome the transportation barrier, since many of the families served live within walking distance of the school, which allows them access to the program even if they do not have a vehicle.
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