RELEASE DATE:
October 21, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kershaw County First Steps Receives National Recognition As A Blue Ribbon Affiliate
Camden, SC – October 21, 2024 – Kershaw County First Steps has earned a prestigious endorsement from Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc., (PATNC) as a Blue Ribbon Affiliate, making it one of the top-performing home visiting affiliates within Parents as Teachers’ international network. The official designation was made in October 2024.
Being named a Blue Ribbon Affiliate affirms that Kershaw County First Steps is a high-quality member of the home visiting field, implementing the evidence-based Parents as Teachers model with fidelity. Families in the Kershaw & Lee County communities are positively impacted by the services delivered by this program.
The program includes home visits, group connections, child screening, and connections to community resources. It equips parents with knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a stronger start in life and greater success in school.
“To earn the Blue Ribbon Endorsement, we underwent a rigorous self-study and review process from the National Center. The process confirms that we are meeting Parents as Teachers’ standards of fidelity and quality,” said Stephen James, Interim Executive Director “Blue Ribbon Affiliates are exemplary programs, delivering the highest quality services to children and families.”
Implementation with quality and fidelity is vital in home-visiting programs as it determines a program’s effectiveness in accomplishing its original goals and intended outcomes. It also verifies that a program is being implemented as designed. Parents as Teachers’ rigorous endorsement process demonstrates an affiliate’s accountability and credibility to the community, its funders, elected officials, and the partner organizations with which they work.
For more information about Kershaw County First Steps and the Parents as Teachers program, please visit https://kershawfirststeps.org/programs/pats or contact Rudine McLeod at rudine.mcleod@kershawfirststeps.org or (803) 432-7756.
About Kershaw County First Steps
Kershaw County First Steps is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children in Kershaw County enter school ready to learn and succeed. The organization provides a wide range of services that support early childhood education, parent engagement, and family well-being.
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers (PAT) builds strong communities, thriving families, and children that are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The internationally-recognized evidence-based home visiting model is backed by more than 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Parents As Teachers National Center, Inc., is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Parents as Teachers affiliates operate in various settings, including health departments, hospitals, and schools, faith-based and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit parentsasteachers.org or Twitter @NatlPAT.
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For more information about Kershaw County First Steps or how to volunteer or donate, please visit our website (https://kershawfirststeps.org) or email info@kershawfirststeps.org.
