Child Development

MICA takes great pride in its child development programs. Each of these programs work to provide proper nutrition and education to all of the children that participate. They also encourage and support children and help them develop social skills, teaching them to listen, play nice, and work in groups.

Currently, in the United States, one in five children under the age of six is born into poverty. In today's world, that makes them more likely to live in poverty as adults and have children who will then grow up in poverty. But, many public policy experts and leading economists have suggested that high quality educational opportunities can create better lives for our children and stop this vicious cycle of poverty within families.

A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that investment in early childhood educational programs, such as Head Start and Early Head Start, yields a significant return on investment, around 14-15% for each dollar invested. The reasoning? Knowledge and social skills. Children involved in MICA's Head Start programs are consistently learning new shapes, colors, numbers, and more while developing social skills through interaction with teachers and fellow students. This is why MICA places an emphasis on the impact of early childhood programs.

While our child development programs are designed to educate children and provide them with the skills necessary to enter school, they also greatly benefit the parents of these young children. Parents receive an education of their own throughout the process as programs like Head Start and Early Head Start work with parents to provide proper nutrition and education materials for their home experience.

MICA also works closely with day care providers to ensure they are trained and educated on issues in the child care field. MICA provides referral services to parents who are seeking a quality day care that meets their needs and the needs of their children.

MICA's early childhood programs provide both children and adults with an education that benefits their future. These programs provide children with the skills they need to be ready on that first day of school and each day thereafter.