Partners for Young Children (PYC) is a coalition focused on improving the wellbeing of children and families in Island County.
Through PYC, Island County organizations and individuals come together to achieve the vision that all children thrive in nurturing relationships and healthy families. Together, partners are cultivating community action to strengthen Island County families.
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Register Now for the Next Partners Meeting
Tuesday, December 5th, 2:30 PM-4:00 PM
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Please join us virtually on December 5th, from 2:30 PM-4:00 PM for our next quarterly PYC member meeting. |
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Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the October Partners Meeting. Below are resources from the meeting. |
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Help Us Complete The New Help Me Grow Resource Directory For Island County! |
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Childcare Aware Statewide and County Data Reports
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Statewide during the past 12 years, Washington has gained over 15,000 slots and decreased by 2,300 providers. The increases in capacity are a result of more family child care closures and larger centers opening. Since 2022, Washington has seen an increase of 400 family child care programs and 70 centers. Current gains in providers are encouraging, however we have significantly less providers than 12 years ago. The trend of less providers and more capacity being available at large centers has contributed to child care deserts, as the number of child care locations has decreased. |
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Island County Community Health Assessment Workgroup |
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2023-2024 Transitional Kindergarten |
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Imagination Library Now Available to all Children under 5 In WA |
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Imagination Library of Whidbey Island—a local program partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, strives to send a new book every month to Whidbey Island children from birth to age five. Created in 1995 by renowned entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton, the Imagination Library has a proven track record of promoting positive home literacy environments and increasing vital early literacy skills. Early reading is critical for every child.
Since Dolly’s special visit to Washington in August, we have rapidly experienced significant growth in the number of children signed up to receive their free monthly book – a 25% increase across our state! Whidbey Island has already enrolled over 1,200 children since December 2022!
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In-Home Child Care Business Opportunities! |
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Island County Public Health, in partnership with the Center for Retention and Expansion of Childcare – NW & the Whidbey Community Foundation, is presenting informational sessions on how to launch a licensed child care business. Sessions will be presented in English and Spanish.
Sessions will cover licensed child care regulations, business start-up information, and the licensing process along with resources and assistance available. Each session will include a Q&A session with C-RECC, as well as follow up support for participants that choose to pursue their own child care business.
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Initiatives Improving the Quality of Life in Washington State Supported |
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The Muckleshoot Charity Fund, funded with profits from the Muckleshoot Casino, awards grants to organizations in Washington State that address the unique local and regional issues facing the population. Funding priorities include education, health and human services, arts and culture, communities of color, Native American programs, the environment, and civic/community advocacy. Nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and public schools are eligible to apply.
Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis and successful applicants will be notified when funding is approved.
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Support Promotes Education, Community Organizing, and Music |
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The Sparkplug Foundation provides grants to start-up nonprofit organizations and new projects of established nonprofits in the areas of education, community organizing, and music. In the music category, the Foundation supports emerging professional musicians in developing new work, sharing existing work with a wider community, bringing together musicians to collaborate on creating or performing pieces, or facilitating new workshops that bring music to oppressed communities. In the area of education, the Foundation funds projects that engage excluded students in new ways, that restore knowledge that has been marginalized through racism or colonialism, and that rebuild community and collective problem-solving. In the area of community organizing, the Foundation funds work by members of a community for their community—work that aims to create justice by making systemic change and shifting power.
2023 deadline is November 2, 2023 for letters of intent
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Testing For Lead in Child Care Drinking Water |
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Children six years old and younger are the most susceptible to the effects of lead exposure. Licensed child care programs in Washington are required to test their drinking water for lead and copper when seeking licensure and every six years after (WAC 110-300-0235). Child care programs must test fixtures that supply water for drinking, cooking, or preparing food or formula.
DOH offers free water testing through the Environmental Protection Agency’s WIIN Grant. The Department of Health (DOH) has identified over 5,500 licensed childcare programs serving approximately 178,000 children. Register for our free lead and copper testing program. DOH staff will follow up with additional details. If you have questions or want more information about the free testing program, contact us at leadfreekids@doh.wa.gov or 564-669-1098.
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Earn Your Short Certificate In Early Childhood Education At SVC |
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Early Learning and Family Services Positions Open |
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Opportunity Council is hiring! Love the idea of helping infants and children get the start in life they deserve? Consider joining the Early Learning & Family Services Team at Opportunity Council! There are multiple positions open across the region.
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Working Families Tax Credit |
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Washington State Easly Learning Coordination Plan |
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Washington’s statewide Early Learning Coordination Plan (ELCP) is a tool to help the many people who care about children and families to coordinate and prioritize actions.
The ELCP was created to strengthen the capacity of Washington state’s parents, caregivers, early learning professionals, community partners, Tribal Nations, state agencies, and policy makers to foster healthy development and school readiness among our state’s youngest children (from prenatal to age eight); support the families of young children; eliminate systemic racism and oppression from our early learning system; and elevate the providers and professionals who serve the state’s children and families.
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Workshops, Trainings & Events |
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Island County Parent to Parent Events |
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Halloween Dance Party
Sunday, October 29 12pm-2pm
Coupeville Rec Hall 901 NW Alexander St, Coupeville
All Events are All Ages, All Abilities Welcome
Come out to enjoy some Halloween fun! Join us for our annual Halloween Dance Party. Dancing, Potluck, Arts & Crafts, Face Painting and more. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Nothing scary please. If you are able, please bring a side dish, snack or dessert to share.
Night to Remember Special Needs Prom
Sunday, November 5 for ages 14 & up 2:00pm-4:00pm
Let’s Dance! Elks Lodge 1155 NE Ernst St, Oak Harbor
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Stars Trainings Through Sno-Isle |
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Incorporating Mindfulness Into The Classroom
Saturday, October 28, 2023 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
In-Person at the Mukilteo Library through Sno-Isle
Take a dive into the benefits of mindfulness for children, and their caregivers! We will share how to incorporate mindfulness practices into the preschool classroom and examine new picture books on the topic. Best for children ages 3-5.
1.5 STARS credits.
FREE
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Educator Workshops Through Sno-Isle |
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Library Support for ELL Students
Thursday, November 16, 2023
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
A 60-minute workshop to learn about public library tools and resources available to support ELL students and their families. Educators will learn about:
- Sno-Isle Libraries website and available language resources.
- Strategies for searching the library catalog effectively for materials in languages other than English.
- Homework resources that support students speaking and writing in languages other than English.
- Helping ELL student have an effective class visit to the library or librarian visit at school.
Washington state clock hours (1) are available for this class.
FREE
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Family/Caregiver Supports |
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Diaper Related Payment benefit to TANF/SFA households |
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Diaper Related Payment benefit will begin Nov. 1, 2023. The Community Services Division will automatically issue $100 each month to a TANF/SFA household that has an eligible child under 3 years old to support with child-related necessities as diapers, pull-ups and wipes. The passage of SB 5838 (2022 session) and subsequent funding under ESSB 5187 (2023 session) has made the creation and implementation of the Diaper Related Payment benefit possible. |
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Island County Parent to Parent Support & Social Groups |
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There are many support and social groups now open again to the community. Learn more below about these opportunities. |
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The Fleet & Family Support Center |
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Island County Public Health Resources
New Mom’s Group is an extension of the New Baby, New Family Program. This is an informal gathering of new mothers and their infants. There is no registration or fee. Learn More.
Breastfeeding Class - Monthly Every Third Tuesday from 2:00-3:00 pm. Class location: 1791 NE 1st Avenue Oak Harbor, WA 98277. This is a free class taught by a Nurse and Lactation Consultant. Learn More.
Island County Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs - CYSHCN is a federally and state funded Title V Maternal-Child Health Bureau program offered through Island County. It provides: Linkages and coordination of services for all children with special needs as well as limited equipment and supplies to those families that meet financial and other program eligibility requirements. Learn More.
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Do you have updates or resources you'd like to share with the broader network? |
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Community Corner: Resources and More!
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Now Available on Whidbey! - All children under 5 in Island County are not eligible for free books mailed monthly to their homes. LEARN MORE - DOWNLOAD A FLYER
Virtual & In-Person Storytimes -
Whidbey Island Essential Needs Program - now available to help Whidbey Island friends and neighbors with practical needs like housing set-up expenses, utilities, and one-time extraordinary expenses like car repairs. LEARN MORE
Healthy Island Youth Initiative Scholarships - can be requested to cover registration fees, equipment vouchers, and other expenses that are a barrier to a child/youth pursuing an organized physical activity anywhere throughout Island County. LEARN MORE
Mother Mentors of Whidbey Island FREE Parent Support Circle - A new Parent Support Circle is a FREE community offering on Monday mornings twice a month from 10:30 - 11:30 via Zoom (in-person gatherings coming soon in North and South Whidbey). For more information, follow their Instagram page.
New Parent Support Home Visitation Program - The New Parent Support Home Visitation Program (NPSHVP) is a team of professionals providing supportive and caring services to military families with children 0-36 months of age. This program offers expectant parents and parents of newborn and young children the opportunity to learn new skills as parents and to improve existing parenting skills, in the privacy of their own home. LEARN MORE
Island County Human Services Referral Form - The pandemic has impacted everyone in our community in one way or another. For many this has led to difficulties with increasing stress, finding childcare, parenting, housing, anxiety, depression, substance use, or in a number of other areas. We are in this together and there is help! Please complete this form, or call our Help Line at 360-678-2346 and someone will contact you to see how we can help. LEARN MORE
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Check out our new website!
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Questions? Contact us at PYC@whidbeyfoundation.org
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