- 800.548.5563
- southernillinoiscoalition@gmail.com
- 700 Logan College Rd, Carterville, IL 62918
Southern Illinois Families will be strong, knowledgeable and engaged, with access to the resources and supports that empower them for success.
With funds from Partner, Plan Act, and in partnership with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), regional early learning providers, agencies, health care, and other service providers worked collaboratively to address the need for increased knowledge among parents and providers regarding child development. Committee members developed posters and child birthday cards to teach parents, teachers, and others about important child development milestones. Building on that success, committee members continued to work together to increase awareness and knowledge about child development by systemically disseminating information to families, teachers, and caregivers.
The desired outcomes are to improve parent and teacher knowledge of basic child development, increase the number of children ages birth through five that are screened for developmental delays, and connect families and professionals to additional resources, supports and services such as early intervention services.
Agencies, programs, schools, child care providers, health professionals and others can participate in the initiative by pledging to distribute educational information on child development in an ongoing and systematic manner. The information provided can be what a program or agency is currently providing OR partners can take advantage of using some news materials provided by the Coalition.
Of particular concern in our region, is the number of young children who have gone through adverse childhood experiences resulting in early childhood trauma. In the Fall of 2021, the Coalition expanded the focus of its “The More We Know, the Better They Grow ” campaign to include social emotional development and childhood trauma.
