Overview

The Day Nursery is licensed by the Child Care Licensing Division of the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services (TDFPS). The centers are routinely inspected by the licensing worker, the Abilene Fire Department and the Taylor County Health Department. Gas leak tests are performed annually. The centers are evaluated by TDFPS. The latest evaluation can be read at any of the locations, at the main office, or on-line by anyone interested.

Children enrolled in the centers are provided growth opportunities relating to cognitive, motor skills, health and hygiene, emotional maturity and social awareness. The approach to Child Development is complete and designed to expand the physical, mental, social and emotional attributes of the child.

Child Care Services/Child Care Provider Operations

The State of Texas provides subsidized child care for low-income families who are determined eligible through the Child Care Services (CCS) system. The Workforce Commission , through twenty-eight local workforce development boards, administers funding to provide child care services to eligible families. It is the responsibility of the child care contractor to manage funding sources and serve families eligible for these funds, provided that available funding for the fiscal year has not been exhausted.

The Child Care Services contract for our 19 county region, called Child Care Provider Operations (CCPO), is managed by Child Care Associates (CCA) in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Day Nursery is a provider contracting with CCA/CCPO. All four of our centers are Texas Rising Star Providers. This status means that the centers have achieved the highest level of quality child care according to CCS standards and exceed those required as minimum standards for day care centers by the State of Texas.

Clients who meet low income requirements must call (325) 795-4283 to request child care assistance.
Clients who do not meet CCPO income guidelines may be eligible for other financial assistance or may attend any one of our centers at private pay rates.

The highest priority for the use of state purchased day care is as a service to prevent or remedy the abuse or neglect of a child, including ensuring adequate care and supervision. This service is referred to as Protective Day Care. For a child to receive day care service under this priority, the service must be authorized by a protective service caseworker through CCPO to the Day Nursery of Abilene.

Child Care Food Program

Day Nursery of Abilene provides nutritious well balanced meals and snacks to all children enrolled. The agency participates in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and abides by all standards set forth by that program. Rotating menus are posted for parents to read. Meals and snacks are prepared in the centers. Day Nursery receives partial reimbursement from CACFP for meals served. Approximately 200,000 meals and snacks are served to the children each year. All meals, snacks, infant formula and baby food are furnished by the nursery at no additional cost to the parent.

United Way

The Day Nursery is a program provider receiving local community investment dollars from the United Way of Abilene. A United Way volunteer panel reviews program budget and projections annually to monitor and determine investment dollars. Day Nursery is reviewed under the United Way of Abilene impact area “Building Strong Families and Neighborhoods”. This funding is used on a sliding scale basis to supplement child care fees for those who can not access or who are ineligible for CCPO funding.

Preschool/School-Readiness Program

Day Nursery of Abilene participates in the Texas Early Education Model /TEEM School Readiness early childhood education program to improve the readiness of children entering kindergarten. TEEM uses a cost-effective, integrated approach to bring together school districts, child care and Head Start to focus on school readiness in a cohesive service model that improves early reading, and social/emotional development.

Preschool participants take part in six annual assessments to measure their skills and progess. TEEM staff participate in semi-monthly high quality professional training, utilize staff mentoring, research-based curriculum and activities with children to measure the program's effectiveness.

The integration model brings schools, child care centers and Head Start programs together toward the goal of school readiness. Results of the TEEM program demonstrate that children, especially low-income children, showed substantial gains in early literacy and language development, a critical element to reading and school-readiness. Children improved in the areas that are most likely to predict reading success: vocabulary, letter knowledge and phonological awareness (breaking sentences into words, hearing the beginning sounds of words and rhyming words). They are entering school better prepared to achieve school success which directly impacts the future workforce. Additionally there are potentially fewer referrals to special education; parents are better consumers in choosing early childhood programs and communities insure a more prepared workforce when children reach adulthood.  Day Nursery of Abilene began implementation of this program during the second half of the 2005/2006 school year.

School Readiness Integration Partnership

Day Nursery of Abilene participates in a School Readiness Integration (SRI) partnership along with the Abilene Independent School District (AISD), and Region 14 Education Service Center (ESC) to prepare pre-kindergarten children for school success and beyond. Funding granted in 2009 through the United Way of Abilene, Vision Grant funds the start up of this important collaborative effort with an ultimate and long term goal to reduce high school drop out rates and move students to higher education and/or successfully participating in the West Central Texas workforce. Additional pre-k children are served in classroom space at the Day Nursery of Abilene. Children on the Abilene ISD waiting list who are qualified as pre-k students receive school readiness learning opportunities during morning and afternoon pre-k classes taught by a certified teacher. Region 14 ESC provides training for teachers and child care personnel, as well as integration guidance. If needed for the participants, Day Nursery of Abilene provides wrap-around child care services, as available, to those families who need it to accommodate their full day employment schedules.

Volunteer Program

Day Nursery of Abilene depends on volunteer support to accomplish its mission and child care program. Volunteers perform important service for and directly related to the business of the agency, without the expectation of monetary or material compensation. The Day Nursery of Abilene program includes several types of volunteers including: Junior volunteers (must be at least 14 years old) and must have signed parental consent, community service volunteers, and Foster Grandparents (under the Abilene State School umbrella, has a history of providing incentives for quality of life enhancement opportunities for lower income senior adults). Screening and assignment specific training may be required prior to the volunteer assignment. Contact the Program Manager regarding volunteers for the child care program.