Parents of birth to five-year-old children, here’s how we serve you:
- Child Care
- School Readiness Programs
- Special Needs Services
- Free Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)
- Literacy Events & Programs
Learn more:
Help Parents Receive Quality & Affordable Child Care
Through Child Care Resource and Referral (CC&R) we help families find child care that is easily accessible, educational, safe and affordable. This free service is offered to all families. Learn more.
Provide School Readiness Programs for Income–Eligible Families
School Readiness programs are designed to increase children’s chances of achieving future educational success. Working families who meet certain income requirements are able to enroll their children. Parents pay a co-payment based on a sliding fee scale and developmental screenings are conducted at least semi-annually to chart the individual progress. Learn more.
The ELC assists with transition to mainstream child-care care by working with child-care providers to create inclusive programs. We provide child screenings to identify potential developmental delays. If identified, the ELC refers the child to appropriate community agencies for additional screening and assistance. Learn more.
Assist Parents Registering Children for Free Pre–Kindergarten
Florida’s FREE Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)program is available to all of Florida’s 4 year olds*, regardless of income. Children who attend a quality pre-kindergarten program are better prepared when they enter school. The program is designed to prepare children for kindergarten and to build a foundation for educational success.Visit VPK or Call (800) 238-3463 and ask for VPK. Learn more.
- *FREE for all children who are 4 years old by September 1 and reside in Florida.
- *FREE for children who turn 5 year old between February 2 through September 1 and postpone their VPK eligibility to the next program year and reside in Florida.
Connect Parents and Children with the Foundations and Love of Reading
Our goal is to help children get ready to read through storytelling, events, and sharing early learning tips with caregivers. The ELC offers the following resources for Baker, Bradford, Clay, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns County:
Literacy Programs
Baby Bags – Books for children ages 0-2 are given out to school readiness clients at each of our six county Episcopal Children’s Services offices.
Themed Literacy Programs – Quality themed literacy programs are put on throughout the year in pre-school classrooms. The programs include an interactive story time followed by a time of activities that go along with the theme. Each child receives a free book relating to the theme and the teacher receives a resource packet for their classroom. Themes include: Space, Mother Goose and Rhyming, Meet the Masters of the Arts, Insects, Eric Carle’s World of Colors and more.
Reading Pals – Links child care providers with community volunteers who read to children.
Literacy Events
Dr. Seuss Week – During the first week in March in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday programs are put on in at least 8-10 pre-schools. There is a story time with a special visit by the “Cat in the Hat” and an activity time centered on several popular Dr. Seuss books. Each child receives a FREE Dr. Seuss book and the classroom receives a whole set of his books for their classroom.
For more literacy or volunteer info, call 904-819-3543.
Sponsorship by the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and the state of Florida, Office of Early Learning.
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