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 CHILD, TEEN & FAMILY SERVICES
Ask Julie:
Got a question about children, teen or
family resources?
Ask Child & Family Resources
Coordinator Julie Taren, MA, MSW!
I need an
after-school program for my school-aged child...
Now that your
child has started school, choosing a quality
after-school care program can have a tremendous
impact on academics, self-esteem and overall
happiness and adjustment. So, what type of
program is best for your child? Here is some
information to consider when making this important
decision.
Types of
Programs. School-age child care includes
almost any program that regularly enrolls children
from kindergarten through early adolescence during
the times when schools are traditionally closed
including non-school days during the school year and
the summer. These programs may be offered by
schools, family day care providers, child care
centers, private and public schools, recreation
centers and youth-serving organizations.
Sometimes known as extended day programs,
before-and-after school programs provide enrichment,
academic instruction, recreation and supervised
care. An array of drop-in and part-time
programs also serve an ad hoc child care function.
Licensing
Requirements. The education requirement
for a licensed program includes teacher's aid or
assistant is six (6) units of early childhood
education. A qualified teacher is required to
have at least 12 units of early childhood education.
School age child care can be found through local
child care resource and referral agencies (see
listing below), yellow pages, networking and
newspaper ads. The Community Care Licensing
Division of the California Department of Social
Services has the responsibility for licensing Child
Care facilities under the authority of the
California Health and Safety Code and enforcing
minimum standards contained in Title 22, California
Code of Regulations. Many school-age programs
are considered "recreational" and are not required
to have a license. It is recommended that a
prospective parent ask the program if they are
licensed and what is the educational background of
their staff.
The City of Santa
Monica offers a variety of options for your
school-aged child:
-
The
CREST Program
is a City-District partnership offering
after-school programming at Santa Monica
elementary schools.
-
The
Police
Activities League (PAL) provides a
drop-in recreation program that is safe
and nurturing for youth ages 6-18 for
Santa Monica residents or for youth who
go to school in Santa Monica.
Activities at PAL include sports,
homework assistance, enrichment classes
and a martial arts program.
-
Virginia Avenue
Park, reopening in January 2006,
will provide a variety of educational
and recreational programs for youth
including a new Teen Center!
For
information on other programs in Santa
Monica that provide school-age child care,
contact
Connections for Children (452-3325) or
take a look at our
Family
Guide publication.
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