How We Started:
In May 2005, Walter Gilliam, a psychologist and research scientist at the Yale University Child Study Center, published a study. The topic of the study was the rate of expulsion of pre-kindergarten students (age 3 to 4) from state pre-kindergarten programs. Connecticut ranked 7th in the nation in this unenviable statistic.
Education professionals agreed the kinds of problems that require expulsion of a three year old are related to parenting struggles. For a child at this age to be unmanageable by a professional teacher suggests that the child is acting out as a consequence of what is going on at home and in their family.
Our survey in 2008 taken at Love Wins on Main Street (Manchester, CT) confirmed the felt need of our schools is also the need of parents whose young child struggle in school. The topics at the top of the list were: 1. Challenges of Parenting, 2. Helping your Child Succeed at Reading.
The Model of the Harlem Children’s Zone includes a pioneering effort to address the developmental needs of young children (pre-natal to three years old) by offering community-based classes to parents called Baby College. We read the book What Ever It Takes by Paul Tough. It inspired to adapt this strategy to the needs of our community.
A small group of people concerned for the needs of children in our community began to meet and idea of Building Health Families was born. We incorporated in January 2010, and our first BrightStartTM workshop will begin March 5, 2011.