Program
Cuidando Los Niños, Inc. (CLN) provides high-quality early childhood development and therapeutic services to children, ages six weeks to five years old, and their families experiencing homelessness. Volunteers established Cuidando Los Niños (CLN) as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization in 1989. 74% of families who complete our year-long program achieve stable housing and are once again self-sufficient and ready to engage in their community. The families we serve reside at shelters, churches, parks, abandoned buildings, overcrowded motel rooms and some in their own vehicles.
Cuidando Los Niños model consists of three core programs: Early Childhood Development, Family Support, and Advocacy.
Early Childhood Development Program
CLN’s Early Childhood Development Program is nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and state licensed with a 5-star rating from the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD). CLN provides direct services to 120 children per year and operates on a daily basis, Monday-Friday, from 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Services include on-going developmental assessments of children; individualized curriculum; breakfast, lunch and a snack prepared from scratch by our in-house chef; transportation to and from the center; therapeutic care provided by our full-time licensed Play Therapist/Mental Health Therapist for both the children and adults and medical care for the entire family through our health clinic.
Family Support Services
Family Support Services and Parent Education work closely with families to advance progress on goals in self-sufficiency, a path of educational success and re-entry into the community as productive, contributing members. Specific goals and objectives include conducting a family needs assessment and developing an individualized one-year Family Action Plan, which is monitored on a monthly basis through home visits. A formal referral process is used for housing, physical and mental health needs, developmental services, financial assistance, employment and education services through collaborations with other community organizations. Weekly Parent Education classes are presented on diverse topics including life skills, budgeting, substance use, health concerns, domestic violence, child development, stress relief and self-care. Parenting education topics are reinforced through one-on-one parent meetings with Family Support Specialists, teacher meetings and home visits.
Advocacy
CLN is committed to being a community leader and advocate for social change to end child homelessness in all of our communities statewide. The advocacy role includes raising public awareness regarding child homelessness, dissemination of best practices for ending child homelessness and recommendations for public policy.
