The Laguna Division of Early Childhood (DEC) is comprised of programs that provide services to children birth through age 5 years and their families. The philosophy of early childhood education for DEC programs is to provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for learning in a classroom or home-based settings that are integrated, family-driven, comprehensive, culturally appropriate and coordinated.
We believe that all children can learn, but that learning occurs at individual rates. It is our responsibility as educators to find the method that reaches the individual child and to allow sufficient time for learning. It is our responsibility to empower the parent as the primary educator by providing resources, training and support because we believe that parents are the primary educators of their children.
Essential language development occurs during the first three years of life that lays the foundation for all later learning. Relationship building in the earliest years supports not only social and emotional development, but also is the foundation for all other areas of development.
The ongoing developmental assessment tool used by Early Head Start is The Ounce Scale®. Early Head Start and Early Intervention provide support to children’s learning and development in the following domains: Sensory, Communication, Gross and Fine Motor Development, Social, Emotional, Cognition, and Self-Help.
Services presently include all of the following for children birth to five, and their parents:
- Family Assessments
- Service Coordination
- Screenings
- Identification
- Referral
- Developmental Assessments
- Direct Intervention
- Therapeutic Playgroups
- Parent Education and Training
- Consultation
- Therapy
- Respite