Children's Services

Children’s Services provides high-quality full and part-day early care and education services to over 1,000 qualifying families at 36 sites and family childcare homes across the county. The program serves the needs of all children 0 to 5 years old, pregnant women and expectant fathers at little or no cost to eligible low-income families who are at-risk due primarily to socioeconomic factors.

All services are open to children with disabilities regardless of income. The Children’s Services program involves the entire family of the child enrolled and strives to meet the needs of the child and his/her whole family.

The program offers comprehensive health, dental and mental health screenings for participating children, as well as parenting classes, and classes on other topics of interest to parents.

Center-Based - provides half-day and full-day services in a classroom based environment

Home-Based - provides educational services in the family’s home

Family Childcare - provides full-day services in a home environment

Collaborative Partnerships exist with Storyteller Children’s Center providing services to homeless and at-risk children, the Santa Maria-Bonita School District School Readiness Program, and the Santa Barbara School District.

CAC’s Early Childhood Programs have earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. The following sites have achieved this designation: Adam, Alvin, Chapel Toddler, Guadalupe I, Guadalupe II, Los Padres, Sierra Madre, “I” Center, Goleta II, Goleta II Toddler, and Storyteller.

Press the Play button to watch the latest Children Services video.

Click on the image to read a synopsis of the Community Action Commission’s Head Start and Early Head Start Program for 2008-2009. It provides a brief snapshot of the children, families, staff and services provided.