Therapeutic Child Care

Children & Families of Iowa’s Therapeutic Child Care (TCC) is the first program of its kind in central Iowa. Located at CFl’s Child Development Center, TCC is designed for children (2 to 6 years of age) diagnosed with a unique behavioral and/or emotional need and requires a specialized learning environment.

The program is designed to stimulate physical, emotional, social, and intellectual learning. The daily schedule provided at TCC is critical to establishing a routine that provides children with a sense of security and stability.

Some issues addressed by Therapeutic Childcare:

    • Adjustment Disorders
    • Pervasive Development Disorder
    • Oppositional Defiant Disorder
    • Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
    • Disruptive Behavior Disorder
    • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Onsite Services

Onsite services include occupational, speech, and physical therapies for enrolled children and behavioral health services for children and caregivers.

CFI’s Child Development Center offers a variety of screening and supportive services onsite. This allows parents to continue to work while their children improve their skills with specialized services. Screenings include academic, social/emotional, dental screenings, hearing screenings, and vision screenings.

benefits

Coordinated school transitions

Small classroom setting

Supportive and calming environment

Sensory, social, and emotional development

Individualized care

Self-regulating skill development

How is Therapeutic Child Care different from regular child care?

The curriculum consists of daily lesson plans provided by teachers and staff with a high level of expertise in working with children with unique needs. The ratio of teachers to children lower than in a standard childcare classroom. This allows teachers to give the children more one-on-one guidance.
The goal of the program is to provide a quality, individualized learning environment that allows children to develop at their own pace and return to a mainstream childcare classroom.

Parental involvement is crucial

Parental involvement in TCC is an important aspect of the child’s success in the program. CFI employs a mental health consultant who assesses the needs of each family during their child’s participation in the program. The consultant also provides ongoing communication between parents and staff to ensure quality services.