THE CHILD CENTER OF NY OPENS ITS HEAD START CENTER ON APRIL 18

Queens, NY – The Child Center of NY (“The Center”) is pleased to announce the opening of its new Head Start Center on 60-02 Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside on Wednesday, April 18 at 11 AM. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and Speaker of the City Council Christine Quinn will cut the ribbon at the opening ceremonies of this new facility. The program available to children ages 3-5, which reaches out to 85 children from low-income families, is to increase child competency and help children who may have developmental difficulties prior to going into kindergarten.

The Head Start Program is a major support system for many parents as they are involved in their children’s education. Parents take time to interview all new staff. These staff not only work with the kids but also advocate for the children and the parents, thus, providing the parents with a sense of empowerment. Staff members also become the “parents’ teacher” as they help parents set goals for their children, foster development and set goals for the family, including learning English or receiving a GED or other diploma. In addition to childcare, staff members provide nutritional counseling, nursing care, mental health counseling, and childhood development care.

“This is a momentous day for The Child Center,” said Hank Auffarth, President of Child Center of NY. “This Head Start Center allows parents to have a central location for childcare and for children to interact with one another and gain basic essential developmental skills necessary before entering kindergarten. We’ve waited a long time for this opening and we’re anticipating amazing results,” he concluded.

Dr. Faith Sheiber, The Head Start Center’s Clinic Administrator, has more than 50 staff members, including social and family workers, teachers and assistant teachers. She said, “The new Head Start Center will be the place for information and assistance for early childhood development and parental success. It’s wonderful to see that clients’ parents want to be involved in their children’s education and foster the family environment. And our dedicated staff members are here to help clients achieve these goals.”

About Child Center of NY
The Child Center of NY was established in 1953 as Queens Child Guidance Center. Our mission is to promote the emotional well-being of children and their families. The Center supports children and families at community and school-based sites so that they grow to feel loved, secure and self confident; be successful in school and/or later work; and have empathy for others. We counsel children, adolescents and parents with problems such as adjusting to life in a new country, depression, acting out behavior and substance use. We intervene to protect children from abuse and neglect. We visit homes to safeguard children and youth who have thoughts of harming themselves or others. We enhance the development of children and youth through tutoring, after-school programs and day care. Our bilingual and bicultural staff, who collectively speak more than 30 languages, serve 12,000 children and their families annually.
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www.childcenterny.org