Little Red School House extends service to the home and the homeless

If a child in Snohomish County is between the ages of birth and 3 and is developmentally delayed by 25 percent or more, they are referred to Little Red School House. The expert teachers and therapists there have offered therapy and educational intervention for the past 46 years through drop off playgroups.

During the past year, this model of intervention changed drastically. Following a nationwide trend, Little Red has begun to take their services to the child rather than making the child come to them. They now provide early intervention in the child’s natural setting — home.

“Children age birth to 3 learn best through primary relationships and exploring their environment,” said Little Red School House Executive Director Terry Clark. “We work together with families in the home to find the best plan to give the child many times throughout the day to practice skills. By integrating everything into their typical routine we teach parents to intentionally look for learning opportunities.”

The state average for children enrolled in early intervention programs who no longer need special education by kindergarten is 27 percent. Snohomish County shared this percentile until last year when it grew to 31 percent — an increase Little Red credits to their new model of service.

To implement the program, Little Red needed a technological upgrade involving new laptops, cell phones, a new e-based database and support to complete the infrastructure that would enable their employees to travel throughout the county and record ongoing data. After raising half of the funds themselves, Boeing Employee Community Fund provided the rest with a $30,000 grant. Along with that, Boeing Young Professionals is providing a volunteer to help Little Red bring it all together.

But what about the child who doesn’t have a home? In Snohomish County, children have become the fastest growing population of homeless persons. According to Little Red, homelessness is a steadfast barrier to a child’s development. Homeless children are more likely to suffer from chronic illness, neurological disorders and asthma; four times more likely to need special care right after birth; and six times more likely to be behind in both motor and language development. Because of this, Little Red has been providing services to homeless children and families for nine years. They are currently the only Snohomish County program that brings early childhood education and intervention into homeless shelters and transitional housing.

“We come into shelters and screen all the preschoolers,” said Clark, explaining that those who qualify are referred to childhood support services through Little Red or the public school system.

But Little Red doesn’t stop there. They also work with five family shelters in Snohomish County where they hold playgroups each week.

“We bring in our tools (toys) and try to provide an environment for the children to have a safe and inviting place to play,” said Clark. “We are particularly proud of this program and know it makes a difference for our community. Through it we are able to positively impact the lives of children who, through no fault of their own, face serious challenges to their future success. Children living in poverty tend to enter kindergarten with 5,000 fewer words than their peers, and studies show that they never catch up.”

The Little Red School House shelter program is endeavoring to change that — one child at a time. With no public funds for the program, Little Red relies completely on grants to continue it. The program receives funds from United Way of Snohomish County, The Everett Clinic Foundation, City of Everett, QFC/Kroger, proceeds from an annual Gala Auction, and the Evertrust Foundation, which recently gave Little Red a $10,000 grant.

“With the economy the way it is, foundations have less money too and the need is rising,” said Clark. “It means even more to us that Evertrust Foundation was willing to invest in this program for another year and show their commitment to it. They are very invested in working to try to address homelessness and basic needs — it is one of their main focuses.”

The offices of Little Red School House are located at 14 E. Casino Road in Everett and 3210 200th Pl. S.W. in Lynnwood. They can be contacted at (425) 353-5656 or (425) 775-6070. Those who have been associated with Little Red at any time during the past 46 years are invited to attend a family reunion on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. Please contact deborah.anderson@littlered.org for more information.

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