Success Stories

Through stories & experiences we hear from families, providers, and community members, we are able to inform our work and respond to the needs of the community.

A woman and a young child sit together on a porch, smiling and looking at a smartphone the child is holding. The woman wears a checked shirt and hugs the child close.

Parenting classes helped improve our morning routine.

"I had a difficult time getting my son up in the morning. I would scream and just get frustrated—it was as if he would only get up after hearing my loudest voice. After attending the parenting classes, I realized there were other parents struggling like me and all of us just want to be better parents. I learned better ways to problem-solve and after talking with my son, we set up a plan with a behavior chart. I told him I would only call his name twice, and after that, he would receive a consequence (a shortened amount of time on electronics) and as a reward for getting up on time, he could have more time on his electronics before going to preschool. As a result, I’m yelling less and enjoying the time with my child."

Smiling woman with long dark hair and striped shirt hugs a cheerful toddler with dark hair and a light blue outfit, both sitting indoors on a white couch.

Creating equitable and relevant learning opportunities for young Dual Language Learner children though our Professional Development and Learning Communities

"I use the Family Language and Culture Interview/Dialogue Form when meeting with families to learn about children’s language experiences and cultural background, and in support of emotional wellness, I foster self-confidence, family and community pride, and positive identity."

An adult and a young child are sitting on a play mat in a living room, building with large colorful plastic blocks together.

First 5 Centers support fathers’ role in their children’s development

Our First 5 Centers offer workshops, classes and activities that help all parents and caregivers develop healthy relationships with their children that foster their development. In recent years, centers offered programming tailored to support fathers are parents and caregivers. A recent survey of participating fathers found that 95% of fathers reported “feeling welcome at First 5 Center activities and programs,” and 84% reported that by participating in center activities they received helpful information about their child’s development and growth.

A baby in a white shirt sits in a high chair and plays with a colorful xylophone, focusing intently on the instrument.

Providing funding to stabilize local child care providers and ensure families have access to quality programs.

The Board and staff of the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) would like to thank First 5 Contra Costa for your grant
of $130,000 to provide relief to over 100 licensed Family Child Care Homes in Contra Costa County who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19—including 8 facing foreclosure or eviction.

A woman sits on the floor with a young girl, helping her with an activity. Other children are sitting and working in the background in a bright classroom.

Providing training and coaching to licensed child care programs to help young children thrive through quality early care and education.

"Thanks to a childcare subsidy for essential healthcare workers, our daughter was able to enter preschool. She was reserved and slow to warm-up to the environment, cried often, and missed her family. Through quality support and care at the center, she slowly bloomed into a vocal and confident young child and successfully transitioned into kindergarten. We are grateful for the experience and support from the child care center and hope that all children and families have access to quality care."

Smiling child in front of a chalkboard with drawings of an astronaut suit, rocket, sun, planets, and stars, suggesting dreams of space exploration.

The Ready Kids East County (RKEC) initiative builds collective vision and capacity for educational stakeholders to optimally serve and build power for Black families.

In a segment of Shawn Bryant's yearlong anti-bias anti-racist trainings, Introducing and Teaching Young Children Science: Key Points to Consider, 42 participants joined a virtual training to share their experiences with science as well as gain new insights into how to implement science education in their early childhood spaces. The two-part training focused on teaching science in an equitable and age-appropriate way and the participants self-report that 88% of the learning objectives were met—including considering equity in presenting science experiences to young children, especially Black children.

After trusting her instincts and receiving an ASQ®-3 screen for her son, a mother has the “golden ticket” to receive further assessment from their pediatrician and a referral for the school district for specialized services right away.

“We were on a very regressive path and he was losing skills by the week and stuff was disappearing that he had previously been able to do. To see the skills come back with the occupational therapy he gets at school, it has been really awesome. He has improved worlds in his social interaction and has become more confident. I love First 5, they are a second set of eyes for your kids.”