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Register now for the KELC First Annual Conference, "Building Connections for Kansas Children and Families" on November 13th in Salina, KS.
Leaders in each of the six KELC organizations began meeting in spring 2008 to identify how early childhood education, child care, and supports to their families could better meet the needs of Kansas children 0-3 and be more easily accessed by families. The group recognized their organizations provided an array of services throughout Kansas for children 0-5 to support them and their families in utilizing:
- quality child care
- quality early education programs
- assessment services for special needs
- parental education to promote healthy child development
- health care for young children
- referrals to community resources to meet family needs
The group recognized there were not enough of these services for all young children and families in need, the services were sometimes difficult for parents to locate and access, and delivery of these services was not always coordinated.
The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund (a state of Kansas administrative division located in the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services) issued a request for proposal (RFP) in 2008. The KELC organizations submitted a grant proposal to meet the KCCTF’s request for expansion and enhancement of services to children ages 0-3 , for family supports for the children’s families in unserved and underserved areas of the state, and for non-native speaking English families. These services would be provided by the KELC member’s county service providers.
The proposal also included collaboration assistance to designated counties to coordinate service delivery and replicate successful community service models such as those for centralized and integrated intakes for young children and their families. These services were planned to be provided in large part to 12 counties with unmet needs and an expressed interest in improving collaboration.
Six goals were listed in the grant proposal:
The RFP requested services funded be evidence based practice services, and all of the KELC services are evidence based practices. The KELC proposal also included an evaluation component to be provided by Dr. Christopher Smith, with the University of Kansas at the time of the proposal, to assess if goals were met and the effectiveness of the expansion, enhancement, and collaboration work completed by the KELC state and county organizations.
The proposal was accepted by the KCCTF and funded for the calendar year of 2009.
KELC work in administering the funding and services approved by the KCCTF began in January 2009 and will continue through December 2009. Collaborative agreements have been signed by the 12 KELC counties and the state level KELC. Service delivery to meet the goals and objectives in the proposal are being delivered and measured with progress reports being made to the KCCTF.
The work is also being evaluated by KU’s Institute for Education, Research, and Public Service.
The KELC plan to expand, enhance, and integrate services for pregnant women, young children, and their families can best be met over a period of time longer than one year. The group will apply for additional funds to continue this work after 2009 ends.
We want you to share your success stories! Send us a short story and a picture of a family or child you've helped - have it listed here on our website!
Please don't send last names or confidential information! Contact us for more information!
