Florida Center for Early Childhood

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Education

From Teacher to Mental Health Therapist; 5 lessons I learned on my journey

By Shandria Woodall, School-Based Mental Health Therapist 1). Children need safety and stability to learn and flourish I was raised in an extremely difficult ... continue reading

VIDEO: Fourth Annual Champions for Children Event

The Florida Center Selected as Bags for Change Recipient

For the next three months, you can donate to The Florida Center for Early Childhood simply by shopping with a reusable bag at Lucky’s ... continue reading

Starfish Academy Has New Director!

The Florida Center for Early Childhood’s Starfish Academy has a new director this week! Susan Miranda Carney joins The Florida Center with a degree ... continue reading

Inspirational Video Premiers at Winter Gala

The Florida Center for Early Childhood premiered a promotional video at Michael’s On East in Sarasota during the 31st Annual Winter Gala on December ... continue reading

Feel Good Friday, “Derrick’s Story”

It’s Friday and we have all the feels because of this amazing story about a boy who recently overcame developmental issues thanks to one ... continue reading

Target And National Non-Profit KaBOOM! Award The Florida Center For Early Childhood Grant For Imagination Playground In A Cart Play System

The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been awarded an Imagination Playground in a Cart™, an innovative playground equipment system, thanks to a grant ... continue reading

What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?

At The Florida Center, mindfulness is something that permeates everything we do! While it can seem unnatural in our normally busy and fast-paced lives ... continue reading

Top Benefits of Early Childhood Education at The Starfish Academy

There is so much information out there about the benefits and necessity of early childhood education, but with so many options to choose from, ... continue reading

Practicing Mindfulness At Home and In The Classroom

Mindfulness has become a hot topic in recent years as our daily lives get busier. At The Starfish Academy at The Florida Center, our ... continue reading

“I am beyond words to express how great you guys are at the Florida Center and how much help you have given, plus offered in the future for our son. Thank you all so much. Words cannot begin to describe, in such hard times, the help and hope you give us all!!”

“My son Christian was born more than three months early. Doctors gave him a 30 percent chance of survival and a less than 5 percent chance of leading a healthy, normal life. The support I received from the Healthy Families program was instrumental in the ongoing health and well-being of my son and our family. The program provided our family more than I could ever have imagined: insight into parenting a micro-preemie, dealing with hundreds of doctor’s appointments and patience and understanding to help my son conquer the difficulties he faced,”

“Shaylee was born with serious medical issues and was diagnosed with autism at age 3. She never really expressed affection and would become upset when she couldn’t express her feelings, lashing out and becoming uncontrollable. Sometimes these tantrums lasted several hours with her banging her head against a wall or saying she wanted to die – she was 7 years old. Her father and I felt helpless. We turned to The Florida Center for support. Shaylee made remarkable progress working with a mental health therapist who gave us the tools we needed to help her calm herself down when she had an episode. She also learned to show affection, recently curling up in my lap and saying she loved me. I was able to touch and hold my daughter for the first time in years.”

“Our son, Flynn is on the autism spectrum. We knew he needed a preschool that offered therapies and support, so we came to Starfish Academy at The Florida Center. Since then, Flynn has blossomed! Being in a stable environment with amazing teachers has really made a difference.”

“We are really glad we decided to do Healthy Families,” said Sher. “I really feel like there is so much we would’ve missed out on especially in the early years of [my son’s life] if it wasn’t for the Healthy Families program.”