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Additional Info: Article: Play with a Purpose Employment Opportunities |
Whatcom Center for Early Learning: A great place to grow! Whatcom Center for Early Learning (WCEL) is a non-profit agency providing early childhood and intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. WCEL has been a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency since 1991 and a United Way of Whatcom County partner agency since 1992. (See WCEL History below.) At WCEL we believe:
Mission Whatcom Center for Early Learning provides comprehensive, family-centered early intervention services to children ages birth to three with developmental delays. Whatcom Center for Early Learning has provided early intervention services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays and their families since 1973.
In 1968, a school nurse named Anne Brown was hired by Whatcom County as a Public Health Nurse to serve children with developmental delays. Anne visited children and families in their homes, was involved in the early diagnostic process, helped find appropriate services and served as an advocate for families. In partnership with local families and other professionals including Dr. Max Higbee, Dr. Geraldine Doll and Stacia Christopher, Anne helped improve the Special Education Preschool program.
When the public schools began to accept children at three years of age in the early 1970s, a committee was formed to secure funding for infants and toddlers with special needs. Whatcom Association for Training Centers, Inc. (WATCI) was the first entity to receive funding for the Infant & Toddler Stimulation Program. Within a few years, Whatcom Community College received funding to continue the program, again with strong parent support. Eventually, Western Washington University’s Speech Department assumed the program called Western Center for Early Learning (WCEL).
The passage of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C legislation in 1986 led to an expansion of early intervention services in Whatcom County, with Opportunity Council serving as the lead agency for Washington State Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program (ITEIP). WCEL partners with Opportunity Council to provide services, and participates in the Whatcom Interagency Coordinating Council (WICC), an advisory body to the lead agency.
In 1991, WCEL (now Whatcom Center for Early Learning) incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, and two years later became a United Way partner agency. “The Big Blue House” on Girard Street was purchased in 1998, and provides a welcoming site for parent-child therapeutic playgroups and neurodevelopmental therapy sessions.
WCEL has sponsored Ferndale Toddler Time with the Boys and Girls Club of Ferndale, including Child Find developmental screenings, since 2001. These screenings are offered in partnership with the Ferndale School District to ensure that children with developmental delays are ready to learn by the time they get to school.
WCEL looks forward to continued collaboration with our community partners. Partners include: Arc of Whatcom County, Bellingham Parks and Recreation, Boys and Girls Club of Ferndale, Children’s Neurodevelopment Program, Early Opportunities NW (Head Start), Ferndale School District, Opportunity Council’s Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program, Western Washington University's Speech and Language Clinic, and preschool programs in all districts of Whatcom County.
Benefits to Children
Children in the WCEL Birth to Three program make gains in cognition, communication, physical and motor skills, problem-solving, self-help and socialization, so they have an increased readiness to learn by school age.
An increased sense of well-being, resilience and self-sufficiency in children with developmental delays allows them greater integration in community for life.
Benefits to Families
Parents and caregivers become increasingly confident and competent in their own skills as they work with specialists to integrate therapy into their child’s daily routines, specifically designed for their child’s temperament, strengths and abilities.
Family Perspectives “In addition to the classroom groups, we also received speech and occupational therapy. The home visits boosted Isabelle’s development a great deal. In the last two years she has grown up so much and it has been exciting to watch her progress each step of the way. We will always be grateful for the services that we received.” "Whatcom Center for Early Learning was a life-saver. It’s a supportive, parent-driven environment where we learned about resources available to help our family. By the time our daughter was three, we knew where to find services and how to advocate for her.” Funding WCEL programs are funded through a variety of sources, including donations and planned giving from the greater Whatcom County community. Insurance and Medicaid cover a portion of therapy costs. Educational and therapy services are also partly funded through a contract with the Whatcom County Developmental Disabilities Program. Family Resources Coordination services are partly funded through the local Infant-Toddler Early Intervention Program. Additional funding sources include the United Way of Whatcom County Community Safety Net, private grants and contributions, fees for some community programs, and benefits.
Whatcom Center for Early Learning families receive services for their eligible child regardless of their ability to pay. There is no cost for services; however, we do ask families for permission to access their insurance. No family is turned away. |
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COPYRIGHT © 2010 WHATCOM CENTER FOR EARLY LEARNING • |
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