According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, “A balanced approach to emotional, social, cognitive, and language development will best prepare all children for success in school and later in the workplace and community.” Children grow, learn and develop skills at different rates and potentially can enter school with an undiagnosed developmental delay.

The Department of Human Services Child Care Subsidy Program** has partnered with SMART Beginnings Virginia Peninsula to offer the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to child care subsidy recipients to help track the developmental progress of children ages 1 month to 5 years old who are not enrolled in kindergarten or preschool. The screening identifies children’s strengths and any social-emotional concerns and the need for further assessment or ongoing monitoring. With the customer’s consent, the screening is administered by Family Services Specialists who will provide information about community resources and services that may be beneficial to the family.

Since implementation in February, more than 70 children have been screened for social-emotional development through the Child Care Subsidy Program. Parents are learning about developmental milestones and actively encouraging their child’s progress.

For those families who are not in the Child Care Subsidy Program but would like to assess their child’s developmental progress, the Easter Seal Society offers information about child development and an online Ages and Stages Questionnaire that is free, comprehensive and confidential.

**The Child Care Subsidy Program provides funding to enhance the quality, affordability, and supply of child care available to Virginia's families. Child care services are child-centered, family-focused services that support the family goals of economic self-sufficiency and child development by providing for the supervision, protection and well-being of the child while the parent is participating in an approved activity. For more information contact Jennifer Stini, (757) 926-6123, jstini@nnva.gov or Sonja Ashbury, (757) 926-6468, sashbury@nnva.gov.