ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Finding child care for a special-needs child can be difficult for Ashtabula County families.
The Speech, Hearing and Rehabilitation Center, 2900 Donahoe Drive, now has a program to help address this need.
“We provide parents the care and early education they are needing for their special-needs child,” said Miriam Cartner, director.
For more than 30 years, Speech, Hearing and Rehab has provided preschool for special-needs and typical children with great success, but a continual increase in transportation of special-needs children from area day care centers for services, gave Cartner the idea that the center should provide both.
The Early Education and Care Program accepts special-needs and typical children who are 2 1/2 years old to 6 years old. The center is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“We follow an excellent early-childhood education curriculum, and we individualize it for each child,” Cartner said. “We also provide vision, hearing and speech screenings, and provide on-site speech therapy and periodic audiology checks.”
Deborah Cole, who has been a preschool teacher at the center for 26 years, is passionate about her young students and reading readiness.
“We are using Creative Curriculum. It utilizes online assessments for the children. It is a wonderful program, based on student observation,” Cole said.
Creative Curriculum teaches science, math, language, social studies, and it does it all through creative play.
“The kids really have a great time,” she said. “We focus on social and emotional skills because these are important skills our special-needs children need in order to be ready for kindergarten.”
There are plenty of opportunities at the Early Education and Care Program for social development through the various daily centers provided, including a reading center, dramatic play center, science center, sand and water table, and outdoor play.
“I am passionate about literacy. We read to the children constantly in a group, as well as individually,” Cole said.
Included in the Care Program are nutritious meals, a structured schedule, field trips, basic computer skills and an afternoon rest time.
“Our program is the only two-star-rated Step Up to Quality program through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services,” Cartner said.
For further information about the Speech, Hearing and Rehabilitation Center’s Early Education and Care Program, call 440-992-4433.
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Speech, Hearing & Rehab Center offers Early Education and Care Program
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