The ParentChild+ nationwide network of program sites provides low-income families with the skills and tools they need to help their children reach their full potential in school and in life. Since opening its doors, The King Urban Life Center has utilized the ParentChild+ proven school readiness program to build early parent-child verbal interaction and learning at home. To that end, the King Urban Life Center successfully completed a second recertification in April 2017 to ensure the program maintains fidelity to the National Model as a high-quality site. Currently, the ParentChild+ Program serves 60 families across Buffalo.
In 2017, we were honored that the National ParentChild+ Program selected KULC parent, Mr. Valentino Shine, as a 'parent advocate' to meet with congressional representatives in Washington, D.C. Mr. Shine has two sons who graduated from the KULC Parent-Child+ Program and understands the importance and value of starting education early in the home.
Participants in the ParentChild+ program are assigned an Early Learning Specialist who visits two times a week for 30 minutes each visit. Early Learning Specialists provide access to educational books and toys gifted to families. The ELS and families engage in a joyous educational encounter. The ELS does this by modeling skills and techniques for the caregiver to engage the child in school-readiness skills, such as identifying parts of a book, color recognition, counting, numeral recognition, listening skills, recall, turn-taking, sharing, positive praise, and many other skills.
For more information on the KULC ParentChild+ Program, please contact Asiah Abdulla at 716.844.8045.