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In 2006 The United Way of Central Louisiana identified early childhood as one of the areas where we could get the most “bang for the buck” in terms of investments to help the most economically disadvantaged people in Rapides Parish. Nearly 1 out of 3 pre-K aged children in Central Louisiana come to pre-school on their first day not prepared to learn. These children do not know their own body parts, numbers, letters, or basic shapes & colors. Some have never had a book read to them. If these children are not properly educated studies show, they have a higher probability of suffering health problems, dropping out of high school, or being arrested as teenagers. The United Way of Central Louisiana is interested in working with schools & other agencies in order to help these children, their families & society as a whole. Did you know that according to the Census Bureau's 2007 information Louisiana is second to last for Poverty among those in the under 18 category in the United States and that in that category 26.9 percent of kids live in poverty and for children under 5 the figure is 30.4 percent?
Parenting has become a much more isolated activity than it was when the population of the United States was more rural and knew their neighbors. Because of this, many parents are not as well educated as previous generations about the basics of parenting. One of the most effective programs for helping with basic parenting knowledge is the Nurse-Family Partnership. Studies of this program show the following statistics:1
- 59% reduction in child arrests at age 15
- 39% fewer injuries among children
- 56% reduction in emergency room visits for accidents and poisoning
- 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect
- 50% reduction in language delays of child age 21 months; 61% reduction in behavioral/intellectual problems at age 6
- 60% fewer arrests of the mother; 72% fewer convictions of the mother
Another proven solution to poverty has been to simply read to children. To help children get free books Dolly Parton created Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The UWCL serves about 600 children a month through this program. Each child gets a book a month.
The UWCL has started an initiative to educate caregivers by helping them learn how to care for young children & the importance of playing with, reading to & nurturing their children. This Initiative will start by sending a “friendly visitor” into the neighborhoods around Rugg and Tioga elementary schools and finding out what information the parents of the children entering the Pre-Kindergarten programs at those schools have and what information they still need. Then we will train those parents in how best to care for their children and help them succeed in school and in life and become successful adults.
1 http://www.nursefamilypartnership.org/resources/files/PDF/Fact_Sheets/NFP_Research_Outcomes.pdf
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