Did you know...
According to research by University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 7% of all parents score at high risk for abuse and neglect and 3.5% are actually found to abuse or neglect their child by age 2. With about 2,500 births in Sioux Falls each year, that equals 178 families that score in the high risk category and 88 would be predicted to abuse or neglect their child by age 2.
Children’s brains develop 85-90% by age three.
Children read to at least one hour per day during preschool years come to school with a 10.000 to 14,000 word vocabulary. In comparison children read to only 30 hours during their first five years have a vocabulary with fewer than 4,000 words.
31.2% of US parents have low-level knowledge of child development, including basic concepts about what their children should know or how they should act. A lack of knowledge about child development can have a negative impact on the parent-child relationship.
Your Gift in Action...
Bright Start Nurse Home Visitation program serves families during pregnancy, after delivery, and thru the child’s third birthday. Last year 239 families were provided with 1,545 nurse home visits. 100% of mothers eliminated the use of substance abuse. 99% of received prenatal care. 83% initiated breast-feeding. 53% achieved or maintained employment. 33% enrolled in further education. Similar programs have found a 79% reduction in child abuse and neglect among program participants and a 30 month reduction in welfare dependence.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program provides free books to children in the mail until age 5. Almost 10,000 children receive books each month. Studies show that parents who have access to books are four times more likely to read and share books with their children. This goes up to eight times more for mothers who receive welfare. 80% of local surveyed parents said that they read more often to their children as a direct result of Imagination Library.
Reading Festival is a free event focused on educational, literacy-based activities. Last year 1,082 children and 806 adults attended. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, October 15th at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall.
Avera McKennan’s Success by 6 programming includes:
Resource booklets of parenting information and local resources provided to all mothers after birth. Last year 2,012 booklets were distributed and 91% of parents through the booklet contained useful information.
Online parent newsletters that walk new parents through first 12 months of child’s development
Temperament helps parents understand the temperament of their child and how to parent based on that. Last year 85 parents participated in group sessions and 180 completed questionnaires.
Sanford Children’s CHILD Services’ Success by 6 programming includes:
Watch Me Grow Help Me Grow includes parent resource material at birth, child and parent resources online, home visits, and temperament. Last year, 2,775 packets were distributed to new parents at birth and 348 parents participated in temperament services.