This article is from the Extension Connection newsletter, Summer 2006.
As Sioux City’s Latino population grows, more and more working parents with Spanish as their first language need child care that fits their language and their culture. So the New Iowan Center in Sioux City, Mid-Sioux Opportunity Inc. and Iowa State University Extension in Woodbury County launched a training program for Spanish-speaking parents and child care providers.
With materials and instruction in Spanish and English, parents and providers learned about first aid, mandatory child abuse reporting, business practices and other components of the Child Care Provider (ChildNet) program during the 10-week class last spring.
In addition, Nancy Nicho, an ISU Extension field specialist, taught the participants about ages and stages of child development, home safety, nutrition and child care contracts. Nicho also built awareness of the role child care providers and parents play in the life of children.
Cyndy Scott, of the New Iowan Center, found research from the Child Care Bureau noting that Latino families preferred informal child care arrangements — such as with relatives and friends — rather than organized care such as child care centers, preschools and federal Head Start programs. In addition, they may not be able to afford existing mainstream child care services, and they may not want their children to feel insecure in these English-speaking and predominantly White facilities.
That’s why the program was aimed at child development homes — to help Latino participants establish small child care businesses targeting the needs of the Spanish-speaking population.
An additional benefit is the payback to the community that is expected from the investment in the early care and education system.
“A well-educated and appropriately compensated early care and education workforce enhances the productivity of working parents and strengthens communities,” Scott said.
High quality early care and education programs have a positive effect on children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, she added.
“The New Iowan Center is very proud to have worked on this project with Woodbury County Extension and Mid-Sioux. With the expertise of these agencies, we are now planning a second class,” Scott said.
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