Child Development Center
Caring for the children at Esplanade House is our most costly endeavor, but one of the most important. We usually have anywhere between 85 and 110 children living at the shelter, ranging from newborns to teenagers. The largest population by far is usually toddler and pre-school.
The Child Development Center is an onsite, 4,293 sq ft building that provides a clean, safe, and stimulating environment for young children while parents are busy meeting their program requirements. Because of the nature of our program, we have an ongoing fluctuation in age groups; this makes it more expensive to meet state licensing requirements that mandate certain staffing ratios for specific age groups. Each age group has special needs, and we depend heavily on volunteers to make it all work.
Most children who live at Esplanade House have been in and out of foster care, or living in unsafe environments that leave both nutritional issues and emotional trauma in its wake. For that reason, we collaborate with other professionals who assist us in providing the best care we can.
Here is an overview of the work we do:
- We conduct onsite developmental assessments of all children, using the Ages and Stages questionnaires for social and emotional development.
- We provide age appropriate environments and curriculum, with arts & crafts, games, educational toys, and field trips.
- A volunteer Psychologist helps us assess children with behavioral issues and helps train staff in helpful techniques to use.
- We partner with the UC Davis Collaborative Extension Nutrition Program, which provides materials to conduct health and nutrition related activities with preschool children.
- We collaborate with Valley Oak Children’s Services, which provides interns that conduct “Second Step” curriculum that focuses on talking to children about their feelings, and healthy ways to express them.
- We offer on- site speech services through a collaboration with Loma Vista/Chico Unified School District.
- We have nursing students each semester who help provide health related activities with the children.
- There is a large focus on kindergarten readiness in the preschool room.
In summary, the children at Esplanade House are immersed in a healthy, structured environment that provides for both their emotional and physical needs. For pictures of our child center, go to: our facility.