Child-Parent Center (CPC) Program and Study (2005)

1) Category:
General program

2) Issues Behind the Program:

In the mid 1960s, school authorities in the Chicago area sought to introduce support measures to improve the perseverance and academic success of students in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. In her report, Lorraine M. Sullivan suggested concentrating on four elements to favor academic success in these disadvantaged neighborhoods: o o o o parent participation from the first years of school onwards; a pedagogical approach designed with learning styles in mind and that fosters successful acquisition of oral communication and listening skills; the establishment of small class-groups that enable children to receive special attention; health and nutrition follow-up.

3) Objectives:
To promote children's academic success by: o o stimulating their psychosocial development; encouraging parent involvement throughout the child's progression through school.

4) Environment:
Child care centers and primary schools in underprivileged areas Families

5) Target Group:
Students from 3 to 9 years old Parents

6) Key Words:
Child-Parent center, coeuraction, school-family-community partnership, general program, early stimulation, parent participation, language skills, success, health, nutrition, accompaniment, comprehensive approach, parent involvement, early intervention, parenting skills

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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7) Program Description:
The Child-parent Center (CPC) is a program that originated in the school environment and is founded on the notion of early, comprehensive and ongoing intervention. Its aims are to offer academic as well as family support to children ages 3 to 9 from underprivileged neighborhoods as well as support to their parents. It is based, among other things, on the conviction that a stable and enriched educational environment during the early years of a child's education fosters academic success. This program is characterized by strong involvement and participation of parents throughout their child's progression through school. The program also favors a reduction in the child/adult ratio within the classroom so that it is easier to give each and every student special attention. The program comprises interventions spanning preschool (daycare, kindergarten) to the 3rd grade of primary school. It emphasizes language, artistic and mathematical skills through a variety of learning experiences that promote the psychosocial development of the child. Some features of the program: o The CPC's child care and preschool programs are carried out in conjunction with primary schools (although child care and preschool facilities are physically separated from the primary schools). Program members include a teacher, a teacher-parent contact, regular teachers, teacher-assistants and school and community representatives. Student-teacher ratios vary from 17/2 at the preschool level to 25/2 at the primary level. The presence of parent-volunteers can further improve the child/adult ratio. The CPC program offers a half-day of supplementary services to kindergarten students. The CPC program also provides health exams, referrals, speech therapy and child care, as well as breakfasts and lunches to participating children and families.

o o o o

8) Steps:
Involves re-engineering of the services offered in daycares, kindergartens and in the first to third grades of primary school, carried out through community collaboration and mobilization. Consultation meetings and consensus-building should occur prior to setting up the program.

9) Activities/Actions:
The CPC program offers a variety of learning opportunities: individual work, work in small or large groups, educational outings, etc. Beyond language, artistic and mathematical skills, activities and follow-ups that foster the psychosocial development of the child are integrated within the program. Moreover, there are health and nutrition follow-ups, and referrals to specialists occur as the need arises. Students are provided with schooling for more hours each week and for more weeks in a year. Student/adult ratios are reduced so that personalized attention can be given to each student. Professional development is offered for personnel. Factors contributing to the program's success:

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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o o o o o

Early intervention (younger children are more receptive) Parent involvement Community involvement Program continuity, long-term support (a smooth transition from preschool to primary school) Personalized teaching, small groups or classes

10) Resources Required:

Human resources: o o o o o Teachers Parents School leaders (teaching, professional services, accompaniment, coordination) Community organizers The annual cost of the program is approximately $5000/child for preschool and $2000 for the extended grade-school program.

Financial resources :

11) Roles of the Participants:

A teacher-coordinator: o ensures follow-up for different sections of the program, follow-up on parent participation, and ties with partners. The teacher-coordinator also oversees the health and nutrition section. organizes and moderates activities aimed at parents. make family visits; provide links to their respective resources. are responsible for supervision and teaching. must agree to work a half-day per week with program workers; are encouraged to read to their children; participate in several ways: volunteers in the classroom, reading groups in the parent resource center, participation in community events.

A teacher responsible for the parent resource room: o o o Community representatives:

Teachers and teacher-assistants: o o o o Parents:

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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12) Scientific Basis or Validity:

A longitudinal study compared 989 children (from Chicago's most underprivileged neighborhoods) who participated in CPC in the 1980s. Their results were compared with those of a control group of 550 children. The study showed that the children who participated in CPC had: o o higher secondary school graduation levels (49.7% v. 38.5%); lower secondary school dropout rate (46.7% v. 55%).

The complete results of A. J. Reynold's study can be accessed at the following address: www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2001/fb61801.htm.

13) Program Material:

The material required depends on the nature of the activities selected.

14) Additional Information:

The information in this factsheet was taken from: Arthur J. Reynolds, Judy A. Temple, Dylan L. Robertson, and Emily A. Mann, Long-term Effects of An Early Childhood Intervention on Educational Achievement and Juvenile Arrest, (May, 2001) Journal of the American Medical Association. 285(18): 2339-2346, also available at: http://www.aypf.org/publications/nomoreisle/PDF/74-77.pdf

15) Contacts:
Arthur J. Reynolds, Professor and author of the CPC study University of Illinois at Chicago 525 South Racine Avenue Chicago, IL 60607-3303, United States Tel.: (612) 625-4321 Email: ajr@umn.edu

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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