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Tribal Child Care Technical Assistance Center (TriTAC)
Effective Program Strategies
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| Child Care/Head Start White Mountain Apache Tribe |
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Demographic Information:
The White Mountain Apache Tribe is located in the east central region of Arizona on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. The reservation spans more than 1.6 million acres, and tribal lands include both southwestern terrain and mountainous areas, with the Salt River flowing through the region.
Type of Program:
The Tribe administers both Head Start and CCDF grants. The CCDF program serves approximately 400 children each year, through center-based care and through a certificate program that allows families to choose from the full range of care options available in the community. Head Start is funded to serve 252 children and families. One hundred children receive full-day, year-round services through the White Mountain Apache Head Start/Child Care partnership.
Effective Program Strategy:
The White Mountain Apache Division of Early Childhood Development is home to five different early childhood programs that provide services to the tribe’s families and children. In 1994, a community needs assessment showed that parents would benefit greatly from full-day care for their children. The Tribal Council also saw this need and encouraged its Head Start and Child Care programs to combine forces to provide quality full-day, full-year services.
Fearing a loss of program identity, the staff of the two programs had concerns about combining their resources. However, once the community’s need was recognized by staff of both programs, they realized the importance of working together for the benefit of White Mountain Apache families and children.
Now, approximately 100 children receive full-day services in the Head Start building from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Children are served in the same classroom for the entire day and the budget is worked out behind the scenes so that a Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) eligible child receives the same services as a Head Start eligible child. Within the center, Head Start Performance Standards are followed and all staff are trained to understand the philosophy behind these guidelines. With the increase in home visits, staff members have seen the results of their collaboration and know their efforts are valued when parents say, "It’s great to know someone is watching out for our children!"
Resources:
Tribal CCDF and Head Start program resources support the partnership.
Results:
The program cites its partnership benefits as improving program quality; helping staff achieve early childhood degrees; serving a greater number of children and families; providing parents with more options in care; and increasing parents’ access to more resources.
Lessons Learned:
The success of the White Mountain Apache Head Start/Child Care partnership is attributed to support from the Tribal Council, positive attitudes, and many hours of work overcoming territorial issues. A change in mindset and open communication helped all staff members let go of their feelings of attachment to their individual programs and come together to provide quality services.
As the partnership progressed, the Head Start/Child Care team members became more connected to the community and to each other. Once a year all the members—including elementary school personnel—come together for a full day of training called May Day. Twice a month, a radio talk show, operated through the Division of Early Childhood Development, informs parents and the community of program events.
If the White Mountain Apache partnership experience could be summed up in one word, it would be sharing. As one staff member said, "Sharing is more than just sharing funds—it’s sharing everything!"
Contact Information:
Kasey B. Velasquez
Executive Director, Division of Early Childhood Development
Address:
White Mountain Apache Tribe
P.O. Box 1299
Whiteriver, AZ 85941
Phone: (928) 338-4938
Fax: (928) 338-1598
Email: kvelasquez@wmat.us
| NOTE: If you have information about an Effective Program Strategy in your Tribal community that you would like to share, please contact the Tribal Child Care Technical Assistance Center (TriTAC) at TriTAC@namsinc.org |
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