Supporting Early Child Care and Youth Programs
We Support Early Child Care and Youth Programs Serving Children Up to Age 13
At United 4 Children believe that all children deserve a strong foundation to thrive regardless of race, zip code or ability. We meet caregivers where they are and provide them with the tools and resources they need to ensure that children in their care feel safe, nourished and nurtured.
Coaching
Child care settings must be safe, supportive, and nurturing. Our coaches work closely with child care providers through individualized coaching sessions, engaging in reflective conversations, and delivering targeted feedback and resources to elevate their teaching practices—ultimately enhancing the quality of care and development for the children and families they serve.
Nutrition
We are an official sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for family home child care providers in Missouri. We provide child nutrition education and reimbursements for meals and snacks served to children that meet the USDA guidelines. Both licensed and registered/exempt child care providers may qualify to participate in this food program.
Education
Our education specialists design and deliver customized professional development trainings for child care providers year-round. These no-cost trainings are approved by the MOPD System.
Evaluation
Our research-driven evaluations and assessments for children and educators deliver valuable insights that support personalized learning and timely interventions for children. They also provide teachers with tailored feedback to enhance their professional growth and refine their teaching strategies.
Child Care Inclusion
Our Child Care Inclusion Specialists provide resources and referrals, technical assistance, coaching, education, and evaluation services to help families locate and select child care that meets their unique needs. Specialists are dedicated to giving the best care to ALL children, including children with social emotional and developmental concerns, challenging behaviors, or disabilities. This is available to any child, child care provider, or family seeking assistance to address behaviors or unique needs in child care settings in Missouri.
Early Care and Education Resource and Referral
United 4 Children Early Care & Education Resource & Referral service provides resource and referrals to early care professionals, children, and families throughout Missouri.
Partnering with Early Educators for Success
For Jessica Black Gant, director and owner of Jessie B’s Academy, knowing the long-term impact of her role in each child’s life brings her joy.
“To see what I teach them and for them to implement it makes my heart smile. I’m raising the next doctors and lawyers of St. Louis,” Jessica said. “The first five years of a child’s life is most critical. We have to have teachers and people who want to give back to the kids and give back to the next generation.”
Jessie B’s received accreditation for her program in 2023. Accreditation is not required for child care programs to legally operate, however, some programs make accreditation part of their goals because it signals to families that a program goes above and beyond to provide high-quality care.
Our team worked closely with Jessica and her team while they were preparing their program for the accreditation process. Accreditation was just one of Jessie B’s Academy’s goals. United 4 Children has partnered with Jessie B’s for a few years to provide additional resources and wrap-around support.
“They (United 4 Children) gave us coaching along the way, supplies to help us grow, and they were always a phone call away if we felt like we needed help with something,” Jessica said.