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As children grow and learn about the world around them, they often struggle with the strong emotions that accompany the daily challenges of growing up. Sometimes this struggle can be revealed by children acting out in early child care environments and classrooms in a way so disruptive it affects their own and other children's ability to learn. KidSquad is dedicated to supporting children and caregivers through early development of social and emotional skills. KidSquad collaborates with teachers, providers, and families to support children in becoming successful in their early care environments and classrooms, thus reducing the risk of expulsion.
As children develop effective social and emotional skills, they learn to relate and get along with others, experience emotions and manage these emotions in healthy ways, enjoying success in school and in their relationships throughout life.
Living in a the current reality of face coverings due to the pandemic, CSI staff members have created a tool to assist with knowing how to help children and adults navigate emotions with their faces hidden behind a face covering. Half Hidden: A Book to Help Children Decipher Emotions Beneath the Mask was designed with parents and teachers in mind and serves as a resource to help you manage your child or your student’s emotions and facial expressions in the new reality of face coverings. Learn more>>
KidSquad consultants come to your child care setting to observe and team together with teachers and parents to develop a plan to decrease challenging behavior and teach social skills to children. KidSquad also focuses on supporting teachers so they can offer the children social and emotional learning opportunities throughout the day. Best of all, it’s FREE to eligible child care homes and centers. There is no charge to centers in Douglas and Sarpy County who accept Title XX.
All child care centers, homes, and early childhood education programs in Douglas and Sarpy Counties taking Title XX, serving children ages 5 or under, are eligible to apply.
KidSquad services are provided by a collaborative group of agencies that highly value children, families and early childhood educators in the Omaha community. Child Saving Institute is the lead agency in this collaborative effort that believes strongly in the impact the first five years of life has on children. All are dedicated to supporting early childhood caregivers to provide the best start possible for our community's children.
The services of KidSquad are provided at no charge to you through grants provided by the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative, United Way of the Midlands, anonymous donors, and through federal award G1601NECCDF of the Childcare and Development Block Grant of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
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