“When all the work results in a grant or contract
award, you know that you are on the right track and
others in the field are cheering you on,” Tevis said.
Regular funding is provided through a variety
of sources including, the California Department of
Education, San Benito County United Way, Santa Clara
County, San Jose City, the John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation, the Packard Foundation, and the First
Five program.
The funding is utilized by providing approximately
2000 kids per day with professional and caring child
care. Half of that number are cared for by home
providers, individual homes that have been licensed
by the state.
“We have about 110 licensed home providers,” Drury
said, adding that most of the homes the agency con-
tracts with are in the Monterey and Watsonville area.
The providers receive CPR and first aid training, in
addition to curriculum, scheduling, and fire prevention
training. They are also required to attend a minimum of
9 hours of early childhood education classes.
Go Kids’ Family Child Care Specialists offer complete
home care consultations on a regular basis, evaluat-
ing the overall program and ensuring state mandated
compliances are being met by the provider. They also
offer suggestions on how to interact with the children.
“We do what’s called play and learn sessions,” Drury
said.
“We’ll buy some materials, these are usually materials
you find in your home. They become the doll house,
they become the car, whatever else. The whole id