Family Connection Camden Works to Improve Access to High-Quality Early Childhood Education
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By April Jeans, Executive Director
Family Connection Camden
Before Family Connection Camden develops and implements strategies to improve outcomes, we look at indicators of well-being like school readiness, high school graduation rates, and proficiency in reading and math. We refer to measures of family structure, such as single-parent households, and community engagement indicators, including children living in poverty, employment rates of parents, and housing affordability. We’re exploring data on children’s physical and mental health, like access to health care and childhood obesity rates.
One of Camden County families’ most overwhelming challenges is third-grade literacy. This matters because we know that children who don’t read proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Poverty, absenteeism, and lack of access to high-quality early education in our county compound this issue.
We’re developing strategies to improve access to high-quality early childhood education. Ensuring that children have access to pre-K programs and kindergarten can set them on a path to reading proficiency and long-term success. This involves working with community partners to provide resources, support, and educational opportunities.
Being part of our statewide network and receiving support from Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) significantly strengthens our efforts. Specialized technical assistance and peer-to-peer engagement allows us to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. GaFCP also gives us access to data and research findings, which helps stakeholders set priorities, align work, and allocate resources effectively. GaFCP ensures that our local action is linked to statewide efforts, creating a cohesive approach to improving child and family outcomes.
Visit Family Connection Camden’s website and Facebook page.
To find out more, contact me at 912-674-9795 or Familyconnectioncamden.ed@gmail.com.