Alternatives for Children, a day care and special needs services provider, recently opened in Dix Hills. The center is licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, New York State Department of Educaiton, New York State Department of Health, and follows the National Association for Education of Young Children guidelines.
As part of it’s preschool special education related services, Alternatives for Children offers occupational, physical, speech-language, and music therapies.
Alternatives for Children, a Long Island-based day care center, recently opened a new location in Dix Hills. The center also offers early intervention and preschool special education services. The day care, which is open from 6:30am-6:30pm, is licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and follows the best practices as set by the National Association for Education of Young Children.
The center welcomes children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. “Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are placed in small groups based on their developmental stage,” says Therese Blanton, development coordinator for Alternatives for Children.
The day care teachers, all with professional training and experience in early childhood education, utilize the Creative Curriculum, which is designed to foster children’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development, as well as enhance learning in literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts, and technology. The curriculum is aligned with the Common Core Learning Standards so that children are ready to learn when they transition into kindergarten.
Alternatives for Children also offers services for children ages newborn to 6 years with special needs including early intervention; preschool special education; physical, occupational, speech-language, and music therapies; and inclusive preschool classes. The center also has a social worker and psychologist on staff to facilitate student and family counseling, as well as a nurse.
“All [of our] special education services are approved in conjunction with school districts and municipalities, and because we have to answer to so many different state agencies, we make sure our qualifications are at the highest level,” Blanton says. “We’re starting our 26th year, so we have a proven track record of quality programs and services.”
