April 6-12, 2024 is Week of the Young Child, when the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and their members celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers, families and communities. This annual event also highlights the needs of young children and their families and recognizes the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services is proud to have an array of programs offering high-quality learning experiences for our youngest learners, as well as support and professional development opportunities for early childhood educators.

Early care and education help build strong developmental foundations for young children during the years of greatest brain development, leading to positive outcomes for children, and helps them be better prepared for school, says NCS Deputy Director Keisha Dotson.

“Early childhood education provides a foundation for a child’s learning potential,” said Dotson. “We are proud to help connect Fairfax County families with high-quality child care services and experiences.”

NCS’ services include:

• Resources for Helping Children Birth to Age 5
• Child Care Assistance and Referrals
• Information on Part-Time Preschool Programs such as HIPPY (FCPS) and All Ages Read Together
• Head Start/Early Head Start to help children infant-age 5 prepare for school success.
• Fairfax County-Permitted Family Child Care Providers
• Fairfax County School Age Child Care (SACC)

NCS’ Early Childhood Programs and Services (ECPS) is dedicated to the care, education, and healthy development of children, from birth through elementary school age. For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/earlychildhood

NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. For more info visit NAEYC.org.