First 5
Our Mission
To support the healthy development of children ages 0-5 and enrich the lives of their families and communities.
Our Goals
We will fulfill our mission by targeting our resources and partnerships to meet specific goals in seven areas:
- Children’s Health: Children are born healthy and experience optimal health and development.
- Family Support: Families provide safe, stable, loving and stimulating homes.
- High Quality Early Care and Education: Children enter school fully prepared to succeed academically, emotionally and socially.
- Communications and Public Awareness: The public is aware of the importance of early childhood, FIRST 5’s mission, priorities, investments, partners, and impact.
- Workforce Development: FIRST 5 partners and other community service providers have the knowledge, skills, and capacity to support children prenatal through age 5 and their families and communities.
- Systems Change: Systems are responsive to the needs of children and their families.
- Community and Family Engagement: Neighborhoods and communities are places where children are safe, neighbors are connected, and all cultures are respected.
Below is information on some of First 5’s programs:
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program
is a world-renowned program available to families in Santa Cruz County who have children ages birth to 16, including children with special needs. Backed by more than 30 years of international research, Triple P provides families with a “tool kit” of proven strategies for strengthening relationships with their children, promoting children’s development, and preventing or managing common parenting challenges – tantrums, sibling rivalry, homework, bullying, bedtime, communicating with teens, and more.
Parents and caregivers can get as little or as much parenting support as they’d like from trained Triple P practitioners in a number of organizations throughout the county. Triple P services are available for families with children birth-12 (Core Triple P), families with teens (Teen Triple P), and families with children with special needs (Stepping Stones Triple P).Options include:
Triple P Seminars – a series of three classes that provide an introduction to Triple P positive parenting strategies.
Triple P Workshops – one-time classes on specific parenting topics such as Preventing Tantrums, Encouring Your Child’s Self-Esteem, Helping With Homework, Friends and Peer Relationships, and more.
Triple P In-Depth Groups – 8- or 9-week classes that teach all of the Triple P positive parenting strategies and provide opportunities for coaching and practice.
Brief Individual Sessions – quick tips and coaching from a trained Triple P practitioner in 1-4 brief one-on-one sessions.
In-Depth Individual Sessions – individualized parent educaiton and coaching from a trained Triple P practitioners in 10+ one-on-one sessions.
Additional Parenting Support – additional help for other family issues that affect parenting (coping skills, co-parenting, communication between parenting partners, anger management, etc)
FIRST 5 Family Resource Centers
FIRST 5 funds a number of Family Resource Centers throughout Santa Clara County. These neighborhood-based centers are open to everyone in the community and emphasize child and family enrichment on a localized basis, using best practices that focus on oral language and early literacy, health and nutrition, school readiness, art enrichment, and parent/caregiver leadership models. FIRST 5 Family Resource Centers provide many FREE programs, services, and activities for families with children ages 0-5. Family Resource Centers are located throughout Santa Clara County – use our map to find the Family Resource Center closest to you.
Healthy Kids
A child’s health equates to how well a child thrives. A healthy body allows children to develop properly, play actively, and learn to their potential. When children stay healthy and strong, there is less family stress and concern over finances and children have more opportunities. At FIRST 5, we place the health of our county’s children at the center – we know it’s the cornerstone to helping our future generations truly succeed.
Healthy Kids program exists to ensure that children in Santa Clara County receive access to comprehensive healthcare services. In partnership with the Santa Clara Family Health Plan, the Healthy Kids program offers low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance programs to over 5,000 kids, ages 0-5. Premiums cost only $4 per child and are capped at a maximum of $18 per family.
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First 5 has presence in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties
First 5’s statewide contact info is as follows:
First 5 California
California Children and Families Commission
2389 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 260
Sacramento, CA 95833
Phone: (916) 263-1050
Fax: (916) 263-1360
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