PHILOSOPHY

The YWCA is committed to providing quality child care for all children. We recognize that children are natural learners. They are born ready to discover and understand the world around them. Much of their learning takes place during what most adults call "play". Through play, children explore, learn ways to use toys and other objects, start activities, and solve problems. Developing and practicing these skills are essential to children's growth and to their success in school. At YWCA child care centers, the day is designed to meet the developmental needs and the interests of each child. Each day includes a variety of intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and creative activities as well as opportunities to interact with adults and other children. Our child care centers annually serve more than 600 children.

YWCA Child Care is based upon the following principles:

1. Children learn best in an environment that respects unique patterns of growth and development: Careful observations, evaluations and positive individual attention are important components of our program.

2. The environment must be physically and emotionally safe if children are to develop trust in their world: Staff is alert to physical and emotional dangers and guide children to safe behaviors.

3. Children benefit from the company of others: Children develop social skills by participating in small and large group activities and engaging in conversation and play with children and adults. Children will learn the skills necessary to meet and work with persons of different sexes, races, ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities.

4. Children desire independence: Children can enjoy successes to help develop positive self-esteem and learn problem solving and self-help skills.

5. Children are naturally creative: Children can participate in art, music and dramatic play.

LICENSING

The Maryland State Department of Education licenses all programs. This licensing process ensures that each center:

• Is safe, clean, and appropriate for child care use and meets all applicable health and fire codes;
• Has an adequate supply of safe and age-appropriate activity equipment and materials;
• Requires that staff complete police background checks and receive physical examinations;
• Employs staff that has completed a specified amount of pre-service education or training in child care topics;
• Requires staff to participate in continuing education; and
• Requires staff to maintain certification in Basic First Aid and Pediatric CPR.

CHILD/ADULT STAFF RATIOS

Infants/Toddlers (birth to 24 months):	3 children/1 adult
Two year olds:	6 children/1 adult
Three to six year olds:	10 children/1 adult
School Age:	15 children/1 adult

DISCIPLINE

The YWCA takes a positive approach to guidance and discipline. Each center has a set of established routines and standard operating procedures. As the child joins a center, s/he is told about the center's expectations and guidelines. The rules are simple, easy to understand and follow, and frequently repeated. Staff reinforces the acceptable standards of behavior with the children, individually or as part of the group, as needed. Through this method, the child learns the limits placed on his or her behavior when working in groups. For serious infractions such as biting, fighting, or use of profane language, the child is removed from the situation and given "time out". Parents are informed immediately if their child is involved in any serious incidents.

FEES

Fees are based upon the age of the child. Please contact the center for specific information. Purchase of Care is accepted.

PROGRAMS

Pre-School

Consistent with our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women, the YWCA programs use a cognitive-based curriculum that is free of racial and gender stereotypes. It is designed to meet the needs and interests of each child through varied physical, intellectual, social/emotional and creative activities. The goal of the program is to ensure that each child enters school ready to learn. It achieves this goal by emphasizing the following areas:

• Cognitive and General Knowledge
• Language Development
• Approaches toward Learning
• Social/Emotional Development
• Physical Well Being/Motor Development

North County Child Care Center
8035 Fort Smallwood Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21226
410-255-2116
Hours of Operation: 6am until 6pm
Meals: Breakfast and afternoon snack is provided; Children bring lunch with the Center providing milk
Director: Kathleen Brager, BA Early Childhood Education, over 20 years experience in child care

Located near the Anne Arundel communities of Pasadena and Lake Shore, the Center is less than 5 miles from the entrance to the Baltimore Beltway. The Center serves children from age 2 through kindergarten and is a feeder school for Solley Elementary School. Its curriculum is based on the Maryland Model for School Readiness and is in the process of completing the MSDE accreditation process.

Upton Child Care Center
1901 Pennsylvania Ave. Baltimore, Maryland 21217
410-669-3345
Hours of Operation: 7am until 5:30pm
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and snack provided
Director: Anna Johnson, BA Early Childhood, MA

Located on Pennsylvania Avenue, the Center serves children 6 weeks to 6 years old. The center works in collaboration with the Baltimore City Resource Center to provide a Head Start program for its three and four year olds. This collaboration provides a variety of resources for the center's children and their families, including support from a Family Service Worker, field trips, and additional classroom materials. The Center is in the process of completing the MSDE accreditation process.

School Age

A growing sense of privacy and pride of ownership highlight this developmental period. School age children are more selective about their interests and are able to concentrate for longer periods of time. They are interested in group activities and team games. Based upon these characteristics, the YWCA school age staff provides an environment that:

• Communicates clear, consistent, expectations;
• Balances activities to include structured and unstructured time;
• Provides a range of activities;
• Provides both child initiated and teacher directed experiences;
• Capitalizes on the interests of the children; and
• Provides opportunities for indoor and outdoor play.

The YWCA School Age Child Care programs address the needs of the total family. Children are encouraged to complete homework, allowing the family to be relaxed when they are at home together. Children also are able to play with friends in a safe and nurturing environment.

Programs are open from 7am to school opening and from school closing until 6pm. Full day summer programs are held in most locations.

Anne Arundel County	410-437-3516
Director:	Fran Miller, over 20 years of experience in school age child care
Locations:	George Cromwell Elementary School: 525 Welham Avenue, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061 Linthicum Elementary School: 101 School Lane, Linthicum, Maryland 21090 Overlook Elementary School: 401 Hampton Road, Linthicum, Maryland 21090 Sunset Elementary School: 8572 Fort Smallwood Road, Pasadena, MD 21122
Baltimore City	410-669-335
Director:	Anna Johnson, BA Early Childhood, MA
Location:	YWCA Upton Child Care Center: 1901 Pennsylvania Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21217
Baltimore County	410-437-3516
Director:	Fran Miller, over 20 years of experience in school age child care
Locations:	Reisterstown Elementary School: 223 Walgrove Road, Reisterstown, Maryland 21136 Timber Grove Elementary School: 701 Academy Avenue Owings Mills, Maryland 21117
Harford County:	410-557-7985
Director:	Norma Mojica, over 10 years of school age child care experience
Locations:	Joppatowne Elementary School: 410 Barksdale Road, Joppa, Maryland 21085 Forest Lakes Elementary School: 2407 Rocks Road, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050 Hickory Elementary School: 2100 Conowingo Road, Bel Air, Maryland 21014