Birth to Three Years

San Fernando Valley	Santa Clarita Valley
Judith F. Sultan, Coordinator	Michelle Lewis, Coordinator
College of Education, Room 3113 California State University, Northridge 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge CA 91330-8265	Old Orchard School Bungalow P- 3
(818) 677-5575 FAX (818) 677-5574	(805) FAX (805)
Hours: By appointment only	Hours: By appointment only

Priorities:

The priorities of the Family Focus Resource Center are to provide information, referral services and support to parents of infants and toddlers that are developmentally disabled, delayed or at- risk for delays. Funding i s provided by California's Department of Developmental Services' Early Start Program. The FFRC follows the recommendations of the Family Centered philosophy to help infants and toddlers achieve their maximum potential by providing early intervention services and resources to their famiies. In-kind services are provided by the College of Education, CA State University, Northridge and the Santa Clarita Valley Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA). The FFRC has a Board of Directors with 51% of the membership composed of parents representing the multiethnicity of our area and diverse disabilities and at-risk conditions amongst infants and toddlers;

 

Connecting Parents to Parents:

A parent mentor is a volunteer parent familiar with the transitions and service agencies that provide services to infants and toddlers with special needs. They can assist with transition from hospital to homebased programs, home-based to community-based programs, and community-based programs to preschools i n the special education component of public local education areas or private preschools in the community. They are experienced in the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for preschools. Volunteer parents are trained to be empathetic listeners, offer coping skills for obtaining services, organizing your child's personal records and dealing with professionals, family members and other people in the community. Volunteer parents respond to a request within 48 hours and they represent the diverse population and languages in our community.

 

Educational Trainings and Seminars:

Programs and seminars are provided on pertinent information relevant to families concerns and interests. Such topics might include al I levels of transitions, health, education, self-esteem, independent living, parenting skills, nutrition, communication and child development.

 

Newsletter:

A quarterly newsletter i s developed, printed and distributed to parents and professionals concerned with the care of infants and toddlers with special needs. I n addition to advertising upcoming educational conferences and trainings the newsletter provides information on health tips, newly established programs and acknowledges the contributions provided to the resource center from the community and through grants.

 

Parent Record Notebook:

The Family Focus Resource Center has available at no charge to parents of infants and toddlers with special needs a Parent Record Notebook to help parents organize their child's records and keep them in a useful binder. These notebooks can be obtained by visiting the FFRC or often are available through their early intervention programs. They are available in English and Spanish.

 

Promotes Parent/Professional Collaboration:

The Family Focus Resource Center works on a I l levels of referral and appropriate resources for families of children with special needs to assist parents and professionals develop goals and strengthen relationships between families and agencies.

 

Resources and Referrals:

A resource directory for referrals to medical services, nursing services, child care, infant developmental programs, physical therapy, audiological services, support groups, parent education, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, vision therapy, transportation, recreation, parent mentoring, support groups, counseling and social services. This directory is available in English and Spanish.

 

Transition Booklet:

The Family Focus Resource Center in collaboration with the North Los Angeles County Regional Center, the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Santa Clarita Valley Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) have developed in English and Spanish a manual to explain the different programs and options available for toddlers transitioning at three years of age into the special education system provided by the State Department of Education.

 

Warm Line:

A warm line is available for parents and professionals to call for appropriate referrals and support. There is answering machines at both sites and calls will be returned within 48 hours.