Southwest Human Development Launches Arizona's First Toll-free Parent Helpline
Birth to Five Helpline Provides Expert Advice, Resources, Referrals About Early Child Development
Arizona parents and caregivers now have expert advice and local resources right at their fingertips, literally, with the launching of the Birth to Five Helpline, Arizona's first toll-free telephone resource.
Developed by Southwest Human Development's Arizona Institute for Early Childhood Development, the line connects parents and caregivers to early childhood development specialists, registered nurses, disabilities specialists, early literacy specialists and mental health counselors who can provide advice, resources and referral information about child development.
By dialing 1-877-705-KIDS, parents can get instant answers to questions like "What is my baby trying to tell me?" and "How can I help my toddler cope with frustration?" They also can find information about an array of issues including health, nutrition, sleep, discipline, safety, early reading and school readiness.
"While research continues to expand our knowledge about the earliest years of a child's life, this most rapid period of growth and learning still presents many questions and concerns for both new parents and more experienced professionals," said Ginger Ward, executive director for Southwest Human Development.
She noted that while many hotlines focus on crisis intervention, parents have basic questions about their child’s development or they’ve heard conflicting information about the best methods for care. Whether its reassurance that a toddler who has eaten only milk and crackers for three days won’t starve or finding local resources for a child at risk of developing slowly, the helpline’s experts have a variety of resources to link families with information and services.
“The Arizona Institute for Early Childhood Development will bridge this ‘knowledge gap’ with essential and readily accessible information about early childhood development,” Ward remarked.
Funded in part by a $400,000 grant from The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the Birth to Five Helpline augments the Trust’s focus on strengthening parents’ and caregivers’ abilities to nurture children. Other funding for the helpline was provided by APS and the Child Abuse Prevention License Plate Program.
The Birth to Five Helpline hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Founded in 1981 as a non-profit organization, Southwest Human Development provides comprehensive services for young children and their families in four areas: child health and welfare, disabilities, Head Start and professional training. Now serving more than 50,000 children and families each year, Southwest Human Development is the state’s largest community-based organization of its type and celebrated its 25th Anniversary in February 2006.
As scientific research continued to confirm the importance of impacting children during their earliest years, Southwest Human Development founded the Arizona Institute for Early Childhood
Development. In 2004, the Institute was created with the mission to expand best practices and research-based early development programs to help children reach their full potential, and today the
Institute focuses on three core areas: early literacy, child abuse prevention and infant mental health.
CONTACT:Ginger Ward, Executive Director
Southwest Human Development
602.266.5976
gward@swhd.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIRTH TO FIVE HELPLINE:1.877.705.KIDS
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