Providing a wide range of supports and services for pregnant women and families with children under three in Macon, Moultrie, Shelby, Christian and Douglas counties, Illinois. Baby TALK is a community family support model which provides the framework to guide home visitors, teachers, social workers, family support specialists, nurses, physicians, librarians and city leaders in nurturing school rea
diness and optimal child development by supporting infants and toddlers and their parents. Services available include:
Community Programs:
Baby TALK Times (BTT)
BTTs are small parent-child groups designed for families with children birth to three to share parenting questions and concerns, to celebrate babies' achievements and to have fun with books, toys, songs and fingerplays. BTTs take place in a variety of community sites. Sessions take place weekly at Decatur Public Library, Forsyth Library, and New Life Pregnancy Center. BTTs also take place regularly at Central A&M and Argenta-Oreana. View this month’s calendar to see when they’re happening. No need to sign up ahead of time! Other Community Events
Baby TALK, along with community collaborators, hosts regular events open to all community families with young children. These events include The Lullaby Concert, International Mud Day Celebration, and The Cardboard Challenge. Check out the calendar to see which events are coming up. Newborn Encounters
Baby TALK staff connect with families at Decatur Memorial Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and families from Macon County born at St. John’s Hospital the day after their baby is born. Staff come alongside families to learn about their growing family, celebrate the arrival of their new baby, and honor the growing bond between parents and their baby. During this time, staff also listen for ways Baby TALK or other community partners might be a support to the family and connect the family with needed resources. Staff follow up with families in the days and weeks following their newborn encounter when needed. Other Universal Screening
Because Baby TALK connects with virtually all families who have a baby in Macon County shortly after the birth of their baby, we are in a unique position to identify families who are most in need of the rich supports that our community offers to families in need. Baby TALK also partners with local OBGYN providers, the Macon County Health Department, Crossing Healthcare, SIU School of Medicine to connect with families and provide support and resources. Family Support through Home Visiting
Enrolled families are assigned a home visitor that will provide individual support to each family based on their needs. Home Visitors provide support in reaching parent and family goals, as well as strengthening the parent-child bond. Home Visits take place weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the families need. Families enrolled in home-based services also have opportunities to attend group socializations 2x/month and access to other services, such as regular dental, hearing and vision screenings, and other special events. Parents to Be (P2B)
The services offered to our Parents to be families consist of tracking their prenatal care visits, breastfeeding information, second-hand smoke, drinking, pregnancy, postpartum depression, good nutrition and dental care. Center-Based Programming:
Foundations
Baby TALK in collaboration with Macon Piatt ROE provides a high-quality program for teens who are pregnant or parenting with children up to 4 years of age. Macon Piatt ROE provides academic instruction while Baby TALK provides a parenting class for parents and a high level of child education for their children while the parent attends academic classes. Classes are held at Central Christian Church, Monday-Friday 12:30PM-3:30PM. GED/Family Literacy
Baby TALK collaborates with Richland Community College to provide GED classes for parents with children ages 0-3 or who are pregnant and are in need of an alternative to traditional high school and who have low academic credits. Classes are at Central Christian Church and are in session Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings during weeks when classes are in session. The group also visits the library together regularly and includes opportunities for parents and children to learn together. Baby TALK Early Head Start (BTEHS)
We have a DCFS licensed facility designed to support eligible families through high quality child-care, family support, health, nutrition, and other services. Child-care is available for children between 6 weeks and 3 years old. We use an attachment care-giving model, meaning children and families are assigned to a teacher and will stay with that teacher until the child ages out of the program. Regular development and health screenings and assessment are done and services are individualized. Classrooms are mixed age with a maximum of 8 children and a minimum of 2 adults per classroom. There are often more than 2 adults in each classroom providing love and support to our babies! Accommodations are made for children with special needs when needed. BTEHS meets Monday-Friday from 7:30-4:00 during the school year. Families enrolled in BTEHS Center care receive weekly home visits during the summer. STEPS
Children ages birth-3 who receive Early Intervention services through Child and Family Connections (CFC #19 are eligible). STEPS children attend class twice weekly to engage with typically developing peers, receive necessary therapies and engage in developmentally appropriate activities with a developmental therapist. Ask for CFC Service Coordinator for more information.
