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Hello! My name is Kristy Wirkler and I was recently hired as a Family Educator for Clayton County. I have worked in the early childhood field since 2006 – my roles over the years have included assistant Head Start teacher, lead Head Start teacher, and Head Start center manager. I grew up on small farm…
Community Empowerment was established by Legislation during the 1998 session to create a partnership between communities and state government, emphasizing improving the well-being of families with young children. Community empowerment areas enabled local citizens to lead collaborative efforts involving education, health, and human services programs for children, families, and other citizens residing in the area….
Summer safety is no laughing matter! Summer is a time for fun in the sun, but you want to make sure it is safe and healthy for you and your family. Summer can be dangerous with sunny days leading to serious health issues like food poisoning, sunburns, and heat-related illnesses. Here are some tips to…
Developed by Zumba and Babyfirst, Zumbini is an early childhood program that uses original music and movement to promote cognitive, social, fine/gross motor skills, and emotional development for children ages 0-4, all while creating the ultimate bonding experience for the parent and the child! Heather Ward, Family Educator at Helping Services for Youth & Families…
Did you Know… 7 out of 10 car seats are unknowingly installed incorrectly. Contact Helping Services for Youth & Families to talk to a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician at info@helpingservices.org or 563-387-1720 to get the correct information to the questions you have. We would be happy to set up a free appointment to assist…
Each year, of children ages 0-19, more than 12,000 children die from unintentional injuries and more than 9.2 million are treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries. The leading causes of injury death differed by age group – For children less than 1 year of age, two–thirds of injury deaths were due to suffocation. Drowning…
The Helping Services Family Education Team is excited that over the course of April, an estimated 5,145 diapers and 1,762 wipes were donated. In addition, we received $775 in financial donations. Thank you to all who generously donated diapers and money to support healthy families in Northeast Iowa. Many thanks also go out to our…
You’ve spent hours researching car seats, and selected the right choice for your family. Did you know there are other dangers in and around your vehicle that could seriously harm or even be fatal to your child? As the seasons change and as we enter into spring and summer we need to talk about heatstroke….
In conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Family Education team is holding a diaper drive to benefit the families enrolled in home visiting services in Allamakee, Clayton, Howard, and Winneshiek Counties. Roughly 1 in 3 families struggle to afford diapers at the estimated cost of $100…
Is it safe for my child to wear a winter coat in their car seat? This is a question that comes up each winter. The short answer is yes, it may be safe but you must take the proper precautions. Some winter coats and fleeces can prevent a snug and proper fit of the harness,…