Chapter 2 Types of Early Childhood Programs 61
company may hire their own resource
specialist or contract a resource and
referral agency.
Generally, parents are given a
list of community child care centers.
Specific information on each center fi
is collected and given to the parents.
Included are the center’s location, fees,
hours of operation, goals, enrollment
capacity, policies, curriculum, staff
qualifi and special services. fications,
Maps showing the location of the
centers are often provided to help the
parents in the selection process.
Universal
Pre-Kindergarten
Another type of early childhood
education program is called
p universal p re-kindergarten g (UPK).
UPK is sponsored at the state level.
These programs are designed for
three- and four-year-old children.
A high-quality, literary-rich
environment is provided. Children
benefi from being involved in fit
this environment before they
enter kindergarten. They then
start kindergarten eager to learn
and ready for success. When
children lack quality early learning
experiences, they start school at a
disadvantage to others.
Selecting a Child
Care Program
Selecting an early childhood
program is one of the most
important decisions that parents
make. Comfort with the children’s
care and education can greatly affect
the quality of family life, 2-8. For
Parents Pa re nt s are ar e greatly gr ea tl y comforted co mf or te d when wh en t t hey he y see se e their th ei r children ch il dr en p p laying la yi ng h h appily ap pi ly i i n n the th e P P
early childhood program they have chosen. e
2-8