QC Family Focus: October 2014

Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa…what is Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa?
Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa strives to ensure that “Every child beginning at birth will be
healthy and successful.”
How does Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa ensure that “Every child beginning at birth
will be healthy and successful” in Scott County?
Through community involvement community priorities are established. The Scott County Kids Early
Childhood board may contract with a community agency to provide a completely unique service or an
already existing service may be modified or enhanced to meet a particular need. Often the limited
funding Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa has is utilized to meet identified community need; other
times, needs can be met through facilitating communication with the early childhood service providers.
Our community is fortunate to have a vast array of caring early childhood professionals.
What is the Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa Board?
The Scott County Kids Early Childhood Board is comprised of community leaders in the areas of education,
health, human services, faith, business and of course parents.
How does Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa get the funding they disperse?
From the Early Childhood Iowa state board. The state departments supporting Early Childhood Iowa are;
the Department of Education, Department of Human Services and Department of Health. Funding must
be for services for children prenatal through age 5.
How does Scott County Kids decide how to spend funding?
Through evaluation of community forum information and community data assessments the Scott County
Kids Early Childhood Board has established community priorities. These community priorities drive
funding decisions. The priorities are as follows:
1. Advance healthy physical and mental development for all children, with a
priority to at-risk children.
2. Increase access to affordable quality learning environments for all
children.
3. Increase awareness regarding the importance of the early years.
4. Increase positive relationships between children and parents.
5. Increase the number of center and home based providers meeting quality standards.
Are the same services always funded?
Not always. In addition to funding decisions meeting community priorities, funding decisions adjust to
community resources as well. For instance if a funding source becomes available in our community to
provide a service that Scott County Kids has traditionally funded, Scott County Kids would adjust or
reduce funding accordingly. Any unobligated funding would then be contracted to another community
priority.
…and it’s not all about funding! We strive to enrich the early childhood system of Scott County.
The system is made up of many private and public service providers – all working to better the
lives of children.
10 October 2014 - QC Family Focus