Beach Babies tapped to pilot educational initiative

Beach Babies Child Care of Rehoboth was tapped to pilot a new educational initiative designed to promote healthy social and emotional development in young children.

The center was chosen to implement the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social-Emotional Competence by the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood at the University of Delaware.

The model is a framework of evidence-based approaches for promoting such development, and research has shown that children have better social skills and less problem behavior in Pyramid Model classrooms, said Beach Babies President/CEO Sean Toner.

The program builds on a tiered approach to promote targeted services to those who need more support, and provide intensive services to those who need them.

To support the implementation, Joy Rowe of the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood at the University of Delaware held training sessions at the center, where employees learned how to implement the model within their own curriculum and classrooms.

Toner said the training will allow his employees to be on the leading edge of educational innovation. He said he has been working to get the same recognition and treatment for his staff that is bestowed upon K-12 teachers.

“The first four years of a child’s life is most important and sets the groundwork for where they will go in the future,” Toner said. “We are that foundation that gets them to that pathway.”

Beach Babies currently serves the children of more than 700 families across the state at its four locations. For more information about Beach Babies, go to beachbabieschildcare.com.