FINDING THEIR VOICES THROUGH CHILDREN

THE NIÑO PROJECT – REFUGEE CHILD CARE

Terri MacDonald and Kate NelsonSymphorose Renzaho

Zainab Dalib Jodi Larson – Farrow

The NIÑO Project

The NIÑO Project is a program of Mountain States group META program

META - Micro Enterprise Training and Assistance

META provides start up business loans to underserved entrepreneurs

META provides one on one counseling, Workshops and Affordable business plan training

The NIÑO Project is a grant project. There are no loans involved.

Objectives

Assist refugees in becoming self-sufficient

Increase home-based child care options for

refugee families

Promote Quality Child Care for refugee families

Eligibility Requirements

Must still be a refugee.

Must live on ground floor of apartment

Must have landlord permission.

Must meet all requirements of State, City and NIÑO Project requirements.

Project Requirements

Providers must have signed landlord approval

Must meet all Child Care licensing requirements

Must have current CPR and First Aid certificates

Participate in 10 hours business startup class

Participate in 4 hours child related classes

Commit to 14 hours of training a year

Meet all ICCP requirements

We Provide…

Money for child care licensing requirements and equipment

Technical Assistance Interpreter Assistance Family child care business classes Child care related classes Home visits Information for Idaho Child Care Program

requirements

Project Year 2011-2013

• 61 participants enrolled and went through the NIÑO Project training.

• 37 participants were fully licensed by the City of Boise or the State of Idaho

• 128 slots were opened for families based on 4 openings per child care

• 46 parents were enrolled in the facilities opened in the end of the 2013 project year

Project Years 2011-2013 Continued

• 84 children were enrolled in these facilities at the end of the 2013 project year

• At the end of the project, 32 refugees remained fully licensed child care providers

• At the end of the project, 32 NIÑO providers were receiving over $26,000 in child care subsidies each month.

Program Challenges

Apartment Complex permission

Navigating the Idaho Child Care Program ( ICCP)

Transportation Issues

Expectations of child care

Filling child care homes to capacity

Populations Represented 2011- 2013

Ethnic Somali Somali – Bantu Rwandan Congolese Burmese Burundi Togo Iraq

Community Partners

Central District Health Boise City Idaho AEYC Agency for New Americans International Rescue Committee World Relief Idaho Office for Refugees IdahoSTARS Health and Welfare St. Alphonso's Hospital CPR Lifesaver And more

Success Story Tu Tu

Arrived in the US in 2008

Spent year in a refugee camp in Thailand

Now has 3 children enrolled in child care which includes her grandchild

Active and engaged in NIÑO on – going classes

Tu Tu’s English has improved dramatically since she enrolled in the NIÑO Project

Success Story Ali Hamud

Ali arrived with his family in March of 2009

Spent most of his life in a Kenyan refugee camp

Became NIÑO’s first licensed child care provider on February 14th, 2012

Ali cares for his sister’s 5 children

Ali attends NIÑO and CWI classes

Current Project 2013-2015

Add 12 New providers per year

Re-enroll 10 providers per year

6 to 8 participants will be enrolled in the NIÑO Project’s Professional Development Program

Provide on going home visits and technical assistance to all providers enrolled

Provide on going child care related classes for Boise City Credit.

Project Year 2013-2015 continued

Currently, there are 6 new child care providers enrolled in the NIÑO Project as of December 2013.

20 providers have re-enrolled in the project

5 providers are now licensed by Boise City 3 providers have enrolled children in care And, finally, the Professional Development

Program has 6 participants.