Doing Good: NWA Child Care Referral Center
By: Liz Hogan
Updated: August 15, 2012
Nurturing children is what the folks at the Northwest Arkansas Child Care Referral Center in Springdale are all about.
"We wear many hats, so we help parenting, we do trainings, we help parents, we help teen parents," said Nicki Nanton, a family support specialist.
The center keeps a detailed database of all the local day care centers in the 11 county area.
"We can tell you what kind of program they offer, what their charges are, what hours they're open," said Carolene Thornton, director. "Infant and toddler care is extremely hard to find, and when you do find it, it's fairly expensive, so we can tell you about the programs that do not cost as much money ."
The non-profit also offers free parenting classes four times a week and advice and support for teen moms.
"Our main goal is the outcomes for the mothers, the outcomes for the children and we want to know that when we've left that house they're better off than when they started," Nanton said.
"We're not going to say that we have all the answers but we can certainly share ideas, research, and skills or techniques and strategies that might improve their parenting skills," said Thornton.
The work they do appears to be having a positive effect.
"To go from they're pregnant and they're really apprehensive and scared about being a parent to turn into a confident person who feels that they can really raise their child successfully, it's really, I love it," Nanton said.
To learn more about the NWA Child Care Referral Center, click here.
"We wear many hats, so we help parenting, we do trainings, we help parents, we help teen parents," said Nicki Nanton, a family support specialist.
The center keeps a detailed database of all the local day care centers in the 11 county area.
"We can tell you what kind of program they offer, what their charges are, what hours they're open," said Carolene Thornton, director. "Infant and toddler care is extremely hard to find, and when you do find it, it's fairly expensive, so we can tell you about the programs that do not cost as much money ."
The non-profit also offers free parenting classes four times a week and advice and support for teen moms.
"Our main goal is the outcomes for the mothers, the outcomes for the children and we want to know that when we've left that house they're better off than when they started," Nanton said.
"We're not going to say that we have all the answers but we can certainly share ideas, research, and skills or techniques and strategies that might improve their parenting skills," said Thornton.
The work they do appears to be having a positive effect.
"To go from they're pregnant and they're really apprehensive and scared about being a parent to turn into a confident person who feels that they can really raise their child successfully, it's really, I love it," Nanton said.
To learn more about the NWA Child Care Referral Center, click here.
