Los Angeles Education Partnership Opens Doors to New Early Head Start Childcare Center
HAWTHORNE, CA – Excited toddlers walked hand-in-hand with their parents through the doors of their new place of learning and enrichment on March 4 when the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) launched its Early Head Start Childcare Center.
The new facility will offer infants and toddlers a high-quality early learning experience, fostering their growth and development. The center, which has multiple classrooms, is starting with a single class of eight children ages 2-3, but will soon expand to serve more young learners and families.
The inaugural class was greeted on March 4 with banners, learning activities, and eager staff ready to begin the journey of enhancing child development.
“This is a landmark day for LAEP and the surrounding community as we come together to create a new hub that provides children and families with the support they need to thrive,” said LAEP Interim CEO Dawn A. Kurtz.
“Early Head Start helps build a foundation of learning that lasts a lifetime. We are thrilled to help more families access early education.”
The center will help address a glaring need in Los Angeles County where there are not nearly enough spaces, particularly subsidized spaces, to serve the more than 300,000 infants and toddlers in the county who represent half of all children ages 0 to 5. According to the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE), only 14% of eligible infants and toddlers who qualify for subsidies receive them.
LAEP’s Early Head Start program uses a holistic approach that eliminates barriers to success and aids parents in becoming their child’s first teachers. LAEP partners with elementary schools to involve parents early in the schools their children will attend and also provides home-based services that include weekly home visits and parenting education.
Parents met with their child’s new teachers on opening day at the childcare center – two teachers will be assigned to each classroom as well as support staff onsite – and will continue to engage with staff throughout the year.
“My daughter has been excited about going to school all week,” said parent Soro Solo. “There’s nothing better than providing education to children. We need more centers like this in the community to support parents.”
LAEP received an Early Head Start grant of nearly $3 million from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in 2018, paving the way for the childcare center.
The site is leased from the Hawthorne School District and underwent updates from the Hoffman Management & Construction Corporation to prepare for young learners. A total of four bungalows were refurbished to create the optimal early learning environment. Funding provided by the Ahmanson Foundation helped to complete the construction.
LAEP will host a ribbon-cutting event in April that includes community members and elected officials to commemorate the opening.
“My daughter has been excited about going to school all week,” said parent Soro Solo. “There’s nothing better than providing education to children. We need more centers like this in the community to support parents.”
