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Jacksonville Public Library is the local public library system that serves the Jacksonville and all of Duval County. The Jacksonville Public Library has 20 branches throughout the county in addition to the Main Library in Downtown Jacksonville. Return to Top
Office of Early Learning (OEL) is responsible for implementing policy in the areas of early learning, Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)and School Readiness. This includes the goal of ensuring the accessibility, affordability and quality of early learning services for Florida's children and families. OEL contracts with the 31 Early Learning Coalitions in Florida to achieve this goal. Contact Info Return to Top
United Way of Northeast Florida provides bornlearning training, the First Coast area's 2-1-1 service, Success By 6 and Achievers for Life and Duval County's Full Service Schools. Return to Top
Jacksonville Children's Commission is a city department that provides Guiding Stars of Duval coaching support, after-school program funding, the Healthy Families program and administers the Jax Kids Book Club program. Contact Info Return to Top
Episcopal Children's Services (ECS) is a community wide partner. ECS administers the ELC Family Support program; provides Guiding Stars of Duval coaching support; and provides Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) and VPK enrollment information for all the counties surrounding Duval (Nassau, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Putnam and St. Johns). Contact Info Return to Top
Duval County Public Schools is the public school district for Duval county. Duval County Public Schools are committed to providing high quality educational opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a culturally diverse and technologically sophisticated world. The Duval County Public School Calendar and list of school holidays have additinal information. Contact Info and School Directory Return to Top
Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) ensures safety, well-being and self-sufficiency for families. DCF responds to issues involving child welfare and well-being as well as providing licensing guidelines, support and monitoring of licensed child care centers and family child care homes. Main Contact Info. DCF administers the Child Care Training Information Center; or by phone:1-888-FL-CCTIC (1-888-352-2842); or fax: (850) 922-9156; or e-mail: CCTIC@thechildrensforum.com.
DCF also operates the Child Abuse Registry or by phone 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873).
Florida Department of Education (DOE)-VPK info works with AWI-OEL and DCF to implement and support the state's VPK program. Return to Top
Single Point of Entry allows you to apply for School Readiness child care assistance. Requirements for being eligible to receive School Readiness funds can be found on our School Readiness page. Once you apply, an ELC of Duval Staff will contact you by mail. If you are potentially eligible, you will be placed on the wait list with ELC of Duval. Final eligibility is determined at the time of enrollment by the Jacksonville Children's Commission. Return to Top
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is the local community college. FSCJ is a committed partner in offering Child Development Associates Credential (CDA) fro child care providers, as well as coninuing education from acquiring a GED to earning an Associate Degree or a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Return to Top
Florida Institute of Education at the University
of North Florida (FIE) is charged with the mission of strengthening the quality of education in Florida by planning and developing collaborative programs and activities among Florida's universities, community colleges, and public schools. FIE also works with the Jacksonville Early Literacy Partnership and ELC of Duval as a research partner for early learning and school readiness in our community. Return to Top
UF/Duval County Extension Office Duval County Extension's family and consumer sciences program links education with life experience to help people improve their lives, their families, and communities. Programs are supported by the research base of the University of Florida and the national cooperative extension service. Opportunities are available for:
child care training, parenting and family life workshops, and premarital preparation, personal financial management, nutrition, and housing; as well as 4-H youth development and agriculture & horticulture. Return to Top
Duval County Health Department (DCHD) provides public health services for Duval County. DCHD seeks to promote, protect and improve the health of all people. Their programs include Children's Health and Dental, Immunizations and Healthy Start for expectant mothers and infants. Contact Info Return to Top
Florida KidCare provides health insurance for children from birth through age 18, even if one or both parents are working. Florida KidCare offers four types of insurance: MediKids, Healthy Kids, Children's Medical Services Network, and Medicaid. To call for information: 1-888-540-5437 Return to Top
Florida Healthy Child Care provides information on information on health, safety, medicines, staff health, health education activities, illnesses, and more; including reproducible parent information sheets and mini-posters for providers of child care. Including information on: Chickenpox In Child Care Setting, Supervision And Safety and Flexibility Exercises. Return to Top
Second Harvest-Food Bank A non-profit food bank that provides food to other community-based agencies that directly provide food to families in need. Return to Top
WorkSource Florida-First Coast Workforce Development (WorkSource) is a publicly-funded agency that provides extensive workforce-related services, including finding a job, career planningand matching applicants to employers. They cover a six county area in the First Coast area: Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. Contact Info Return to Top
Florida Wages Information is a web site with a variety of labor market and wages information for the State of Florida. Return to Top
Family Foundations provides financial, family counseling and education organization. Services are provided on an ability to pay basis. Families iare helped to learn to take control of their financial future, buy a first home or pay off debts and restore their credit. Return to Top
Jacksonville Urban League-HeadStart administers the Federal early learning program, HeadStart, as well as early childhood and health services (including dental and nutrition services) and family & community Partnerships (including the Responsible Fatherhood Program and Healthy Marriages/Healthy Families). Contact Info Return to Top
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies is a community-based program that promotes healthy pregnancies by providing pre-natal education, family support services and positive advocacy of maternal and child issues. Contact Info Return to Top
Nemours BrightStart! is designed to identify preschoolers at rish for reading challenges and uses science-based tools to engage educators, parents and physicians in helping children overcome reading difficulties such as dyslexia. Contact Info Return to Top
Child Guidance Center (CGC) specializes in helping children, adolescents and their families cope with the stresses of life by providing behavioral health solutions. CGC provides assistance for behavioral issues, Attention Deficit Disorder, communications and anxiety issues, among others. Contact Info Return to Top
Hope Haven Children's Clinic and Family Center serves children, young adults and families with a variety of educational, developmental and mental health needs. These include learning challengese and disabilities, developmental needs, autism, Down's Syndrome and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Contact Info Return to Top
Early Steps supports families in the growth and development of infant and toddlers with special needs. The program partners with providers and families to deliver services that support children’s well-being and development. Return to Top
Child Find provides screening, assistance, information about programs and parent consultation for children with special needs in the areas of communication, motor development, vision, hearing, and preschool readiness skills. Return to Top
Florida Directory of Early Childhood Services is an excellent resource for families with children who have disabilities and/or special health care needs and early care and education providers needing information, consultation services and/or technical assistance in serving all children. Return to Top
Please see our other Special Needs Link also. Return to Top
Jacksonville Kids Coalition (JKC) represents over 75 area non-profits along with other interested individuals who are committed to the sole purpose of working on behalf of children. Return to Top
National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) is the national network of child care resource and referral centers (CCR&Rs) located in every state and most communities across the US. NACCRRA offers child care assistance for military families and provides the national network, ChildCareAware, to connect people with their local CCR&R. Return to Top
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and its State affiliate, Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC)are professional organizations for people who work in and support those who work in child care and early learning. NAEYC and FLAEYC provide leadership, advocacy, and professional development opportunities. Return to Top
National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) is a service of the Child Care Bureau, it is a national clearinghouse and technical assistance center that links parents, providers, policy-makers, researchers, and the public to early care and education information. Return to Top
Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) is a group of the governor appointed Chairs of the 31 Early Learning Coallitions. ELAC offers guidance and input to the Office of Early Learning on key developments in the statewide early learning system, including the administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education, School Readiness, and Child Care Resource and Referral programs. Return to Top
Association of Early Learning Coalitions is an organization comprised of 31 Early Learning Coalitions throughout the State of Florida. The AELC supports the role of the Early Learning Coalitions to develop and administer a comprehensive school readiness program and voluntary pre-kindergarten program that prepares preschool children to succeed in school and in life. Return to Top