Rockford Crisis Nursery Families Now Receive Literacy Support

By Stephanie Bush, Brightpoint Early Literacy Specialist

Brightpoint (formerly Children’s Home and Aid) launched its new Early Literacy Program, which connects to its Rockford Crisis Nursery (RCN), linking families from the Rockford Crisis Nursery with home visits from an Early Literacy Specialist (ELS) to promote literacy for children aged 0–6 years. The program is made possible by a grant from the United Way of Rock River Valley.

The RCN offers emergency childcare for children ages 0–6, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Nursery also connects families with community resources that help stabilize their situations. Staff follow up with families within 30 days of their visit and lead a weekly Nurturing Parenting Program class.

The Early Literacy Program invites interested parents to participate in one-hour weekly home visits with an ELS. These visits focus on fun literacy activities like reading, writing, singing, and playing. During each visit, families engage in a hands-on literacy activity, learn about their child’s developmental stage, and receive books to keep. If families need basic items such as diapers, wipes, or formula, the ELS provides them through the Rockford Crisis Nursery. The ELS also creates a space for parents to reflect on their parenting experiences and voice any concerns, offering resources and support tailored to their specific needs.

Child readingOne child’s mother shared, “Millie really thrives when learning, especially one-on-one. Working from home, I can’t give her the individual attention she needs during the day, so Stephanie and the ELS program allow Millie to enjoy focused learning activities during the middle of the day.”

Millie, a three-year-old participant, has made incredible progress. She loves tracing vertical, horizontal, and circular lines, identifying letters, and practicing phonemic awareness activities. When the ELS reads to her, Millie eagerly answers questions about the story and describes the pictures she sees. Afterward, she “reads” the book herself by looking at the pictures and retelling the story in her own words.

The program also hosts quarterly Family Literacy events, giving those parents opportunities to connect with each other. At the first literacy event, families participated in winter-themed activities, including creating sensory snow with shaving cream and baking soda, making s’mores, and completing various crafts.

The Early Literacy Program helps young children develop a love for reading and learning at home. It shows children that learning can be enjoyable and empowers parents to embrace their role as their child’s first and most important teacher.

Learn more about Brightpoint’s commitment to early childhood literacy at https://www.brightpoint.org/thriving-children/early-childhood-care-education/.