Strengthening the Hispanic family by promoting self-sufficiency.

Description:
It is projected that by 2030, Latinos will comprise one-fourth of the total K-12 student population in the United States. Unfortunately, the current statistics do not give an optimistic prospect for these students: Latinos have the highest dropout rates in the nation and two-thirds of the Latino population lives in poverty. Centro is committed to be an agent of change by providing low-income children with an integral preschool education and with health, social, and nutrition services that will help them get a head start and increase their chances of finishing their basic education and pursuing a higher education.

• Head Start Program: The Head Start® and Early Head Start® programs provide comprehensive child development services to low income children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. They are child-focused programs, and have the overall goal of increasing the social competence of young children in low-income families.
• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program: Migrant & Seasonal Head Start® is a federally funded program to provide comprehensive Head Start® services, including child development, social and health services to low income families working in agriculture, or families who migrate for the purpose of working in agriculture.
• Health, Safety, Nutrition and Disabilities: The objective of Education and Early Childhood Development is to provide all children with a safe, nurturing, engaging, enjoyable, and secure learning environment, in order to help them gain the awareness, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in their present environment, and to deal with later responsibilities in school and in life. Each child is treated as an individual in an inclusive community that values, respects, and responds to diversity. The varied experiences provided by the program support the continuum of children's growth and development, which includes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child.
• Family and Community Partnerships: Head Start® offers parents opportunities and support for growth, so that they can identify their own strengths, needs and interests, and find their own solutions. The objective of Family Partnerships is to support parents as they identify and meet their own goals, nurture the development of their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that are supportive of children and families of all cultures. The building of trusting, collaborative relationships between parents and staff allows them to share with and to learn from one another.
• Disability Services and Mental Health: The objective of the disabilities component is to help children and families achieve their educational goals. Each of our centers has a Developmental Specialist who collaborates with teachers and local education providers to meet the needs of the child. Upon entering the center each child is screened for hearing and assessed for behavior and learning delays. Once children have been screened and a delay has been suspected, the child is referred to the appropriate intervention agency.
• Policy Council: Head Start ® relies heavily on families and community members to strengthen its programs. The Head Start ® Policy Council is made up of parents and community representatives. As a member, they have broad authority and review over both the policy goals and the day-to-day operations of Head Start ® centers, including the establishment of enrollment criteria, the hiring and termination of staff, budgeting, and fundraising.
• Montessori/Creative Curriculum: The goal of the Montessori philosophy is for children to become independent learners, develop self-discipline, love of the natural world, respect for self and others, and an internal sense of purpose and motivation. Children acquire these skills through a carefully prepared environment and hands-on concrete learning materials, investigation and research, collaboration, and freedom to choose their own work. The philosophy of the curriculum is based on the premise that children learn best by doing and exploring the world around them by using their senses. It focuses on routines and experiences for infants and toddlers and helping preschoolers become enthusiastic learners. The interest areas, or learning centers in the classroom are designed to support children's development. These areas include, blocks, dramatic play, manipulatives, sensory table, library, music and movement, science and outdoors.



History:
Centro de la Familia de Utah (CDLF) is a non-profit agency devoted to strengthening the Latino community in Utah – economically, socially and politically. For more than 30 years, Centro has served the Latino population throughout the state with an acute appreciation for the community’s specialized social, cultural, and linguistic strengths and needs.

Since 1975, our varied services in education have created measurable, positive impact on the lives of Utah’s Spanish-speaking families. We are the state’s largest Latino-oriented nonprofit agency, with 180 employees in six counties, serving both urban and rural Spanish-speaking families with children.



Contact people:


Jose Quintana, Director, (801) 754-0700 Blanca Tijerina, Family Service Specialist, (801) 754-0700, (email)


Main office number: (801) 754-0700
TDD number: Dial 7-1-1 for Relay Utah
Office fax number: (801) 754-0703

Languages Spoken: English, Spanish

Address:


352 E 800 S Genola, UT 84655 (See a map)


Web Site: http://www.cdlfu.org

Miscellaneous Information

Services
	Culturally competent education Health services to children with disabilities Parent involvement/social services Transportation components Early head start classes
Funding
	Federal grant and donations
Affliations
	Centro de la Familia de Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Utah State University, United Way of SLC, Montessori, Salt Lake County
Other common names for this agency:
	Instititue Of Human Resource Development, Hope For Tomorrow

Last updated on November 28, 2011