Therapeutic Child Care Center

The TCCC provides enhanced infant-parent mental health services and child development services for children birth to age five, through a partnership between NCHHS Public Health and Child Start Inc.

Since March 2001 the Napa County Therapeutic Child Care Center (TCCC) has served children and families who are connected to a number of NCHHS programs. Unique characteristics of the TCCC include a focus on the emotional and physical development of infants and young children, parent-child relationships and family support. Children enrolled at the TCCC make significant gains in overall cognitive, psychological and social functioning and many families expand their relational and parenting capacities. Developmental assessments are made biannually and early intervention is provided when appropriate.

The TCCC has the capacity for 8 infants, 8 toddlers and 12 preschoolers and each group has 3 teachers. NCHHS Public Health provides the therapeutic team of a Clinical Psychologist, an Occupational Therapist and an Office Assistant. Child care, a site supervisor and a family services partner are provided by Child Start Inc. TCCC staff provide consistent, predictable caregiving that benefits children who are mastering relational and developmental milestones, and parents who are navigating increasingly complex parenting tasks.

• A baby’s development, cognitive abilities, social-emotional capacities and future health and well-being are established very early in childhood, and occur in the context of the consistent, nurturing and loving relationships with parent and caregivers.
• In the book, Neurons to Neighborhoods-2002, the National Academy of Sciences states infants and children “grow and thrive in the context of close and dependable relationships that provide love and nurturance, security, responsive interaction and encouragement for exploration.”
• Without at least one relationship, the child’s development is disrupted, and the consequences can be severe and long-lasting”
• Early difficulties are extremely difficultto change later in the child’s life and windows of opportunity exist for forming secure attachments, positive infant mental health, learning capacity and reaching one’s full potential

Goals of the TCCC:

• Break the cycle of vulnerability and repetition for high-risk children and families
• Support children and their caregivers in forming strong, functional and resilient attachments, and support children in secondary attachment to caregiver/teachers
• Support babies and children in learning to give, receive and respond to clear and congruent cues
• Support babies and children in developing self-regulation and mutual regulation capacities
• Provide an enriched environment to support all domains of child development
• Support parents in their own emotional development and in developing parenting skills in a supportive setting

Touchpoints:

• All staff At the TCCC are trained in the Dr. T Berry Brazelton’s Touchpoints Model
• Touchpoints is relational and strength-based model
• Considers the parent as the expert
• Is a collaborative relationship that helps parents find meaning and supports them to find their own solutions
• Uses the language of the baby/child as a means of forming relationships
• Focuses on supporting the attachment process and helps children fall in love with a safe nurturing adult
• Teaches parents the importance of helping the baby self regulate
• Supports parents and children in learning to mutually regulate
• Supports parents in understanding their loving relationship with their baby stimulates healthy brain development
  

For more information on the TCCC please call (707) 253-6992