Our Programs
At Chester County First Steps we work directly with families, educators and our community to support and advocate for children’s educational opportunities and achievements.
Parents As Teachers
A program offering home visitations and group support for parents and caregivers to build strong communities and help families thrive.
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PAT includes personal visits from a parent educator, group connections with other PAT families, and connections to outside resources to help families support their children in reaching success.
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This program serves parents and caregivers with children aged 0-5.
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For those interested in applying please Contact Us.
Child Care Training
High-quality childcare hinges on high-quality professional development that meets the needs of the local childcare workforce.
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Our training programs are certified through SC Endeavors and include topics in the areas of nutrition, health and safety, curriculum, child guidance, professional development, and program administration.
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Registered and certified trainers provide high-quality training to childcare provider staff.
Trainings include:
• Enhance Children’s Social Emotional Development
• Heading Back to the Workspace
• Creating Literacy Rich Environments
• Marketing Your Early Childhood Program for Success
• The Importance of Physical Warmth & Touch to a Young Child
• Stress Relief in our New Normal
• Supervision & Individual Teaching through Play Read Aloud -
For those interested in applying please Contact Us.
Nurturing Parenting
A family-centered trauma-informed initiative designed to build nurturing parenting skills.
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The Nurturing Parenting Program targets all families at risk for abuse and neglect with children birth to 18 years. The programs feature activities to foster positive parenting skills with nurturing behaviors, promote healthy physical and emotional development, and teach appropriate role and developmental expectations.
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Various lessons are delivered in a group-based setting.
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For those interested in applying please complete the Nurturing Parent Application. If you have any questions feel free to Contact Us.
LOL: Literacy
on the Lawn
A public awareness event designed to tap into the imagination of children.
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This is an event you don’t want to miss! Books appropriate for all ages are given to children and parents. Volunteers read and lead activities related to themes of stories. In addition to their books each child gets bookmarks, book bags and activity kits while their parents receive parenting materials supporting early learning and school readiness.
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This program is created around the interests of children and full of resources and activities to captivate families.
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For those interested in attending be sure to check our Upcoming Events. If you are interested in donating or volunteering, please Contact Us or Get Involved!
Angel Tree
Bringing cheer and smiles to children in Chester County during the holiday season.
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Chester County First Steps partners with community agencies, civic groups, and individuals to provide support to families in Chester County during the holiday season to bring cheer and smiles to children.
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Donations of toys, gift cards, and monetary gifts are received to purchase items from participating children's wish lists. Items are then distributed to the families.
4-Year-Old Kindergarten
Chester County First Steps provides eligible children with free enrollment in full-day four-year-old kindergarten.
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Research shows that children who attend a high-quality preschool program are more successful in kindergarten and beyond! First Steps 4K aims to increase participation and quality of early education while expanding access throughout Chester County at the following locations:
Fort Lawn Community Center 4K Program
Learning Tree Child Development Center
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To qualify for enrollment, a child must be:
☑ 4 years old on or before September 1.
☑ Eligible for Medicaid, free/reduced-price lunch, or SNAP/TANF, experiencing homelessness or transiency, or in foster care.
☑ A resident of South Carolina.
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For those interested in applying please Contact Us or one of our 4K locations.
Get involved to directly support Chester County First Steps.
Contact us to learn more about our programs.