SFLC Playgroups, Parent Support Groups, Parent Education, and ASQ Developmental Screening are funded by the MA Department of Early Education and Care's CFCE Grant. Information on the CFCE ParentChild+ Program can be found here. SFLC Programs are available to Somerville residents only unless otherwise specified.

SFLC Playgroups Summer 2022

Click here for the Summer 2022 Playgroups Schedule & Registration Information! (in English, Spanish and Portuguese)

Please note:
- No registration is required for the drop-in Outdoor Playgroup.
- Registration for the indoor playgroup will take place June 21 and June 22 ONLY.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Support Groups

VIRTUAL In This Together: A free on-line support group for parents of children birth to 10 years old

Who: People who have young children (birth-10 years old) and would like to connect with other parents, share ideas, frustrations, and resources!
What: A 90 minute Zoom group meeting with facilitation by Amy Bamforth (from the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative)
When: Weekly on Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Where: Online. Please email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us for the link to join us!

IN-PERSON New Parent Support Group (resuming Fall 2022)
Fridays 1:00-2:30pm at the Edgerly Building (8 Bonair Street)

Connecting with other parents is important whenever people become parents. Talking with others who are going through similar experiences, and hearing specific ideas to solve problems can feel wonderful.
As one participant said, "This group lets us enjoy parenting the way we always dreamed about!"

Join us for our New Parents Support Group every Friday, 1:00-2:30pm in person!
Open to all expectant parents and parents with babies from Birth - 15 months old.
Facilitated by Amy Bamforth, MS (ED.), LICSW, Early Childhood Specialist at the SFLC.

Please email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us to register.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ASQ Developmental Screening

Learn more about your child's development with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)!
If your child is between 2 months and 5 years old, you can complete the ASQ-3 (general screening) and/or the ASQ:SE-2 (social-emotional screening).
Once completed, you will hear back from an SFLC staff member with the results, along with activities you can do to continue supporting your child's development.
Click below to complete the screening(s):

English: https://www.asqonline.com/family/4da2f1
Español: https://www.asqonline.com/family/4ba1af

If you have any questions, please feel free to email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us or call us at (617) 625-6600 x6990.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choosing Child Care

Are you looking for child care for your birth-5 year old? Visit the SPS Early Education & Care webpage for information and resources.

View slides from the January 2022 Choosing Child Care Workshop here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Potty Training

Are you wondering if your child is ready to start potty training? These readiness checklists may help: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Nepali

For more tips & information, check out these videos: English, Spanish

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resource Sheets for Somerville Families

Including Somerville Public Schools, City of Somerville, and community supports.

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mental Health Supports

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Additional Resources

Anti-Bias / Anti-Racism
Early Learning is Crucial

Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane English
Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane Spanish
Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane Portuguese
Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane Haitian Creole

Looking for children’s books with dynamic Black characters? Boston University’s Center on the Ecology of Early Development developed a list of Racially Affirming Books for Black Children -- “books featuring the full humanity of children of color, as main characters who show a wide range of emotions, ideas, and identities, who are learning about how their stories connect with others’, who are active agents in the fight toward justice.” See the list here: https://www.bu-ceed.org/uploads/1/3/3/0/133043669/tps_booklist.pdf
Looking for anti-bias books for your child/ren? Explore the extensive Children’s Peace Education & Anti-Bias Library and find books based on age, topic, and representation. http://www.childpeacebooks.org/cpb/Protect/search.php
Help your child become more thoughtful, informed, and brave about race: www.embracerace.org/resources/16-ways-to-help-children-become-thoughtful-informed-and-brave-about-race
Finding the words to talk about race with your child isn’t always easy. Here are 100 examples of explicit, proactive language around identity and difference, organized by topic: http://www.raceconscious.org/2016/06/100-race-conscious-things-to-say-to-your-child-to-advance-racial-justice/
They're not too young to talk about race- infographic
Talking Race with Young Children. NPR Podcast
"We Are All Alike... We Are All Different" by the Cheltenham Elementary School Kindergarteners. Starting the Conversation: Recorded Storytime and Follow-Up Questions/Activity
Why resistance must be part of any discussion of oppression. Lift Up the Freedom Fighters
WHCIS Students: We Shall Overcome
Black Lives Matter: Instructional Library
Beverly Daniel Tatum video (“Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_TFaS3KW6s&
How To Talk About Race And Protests With Your Kids, Explained By A Child Psychologist | Here & Now 7/14
Panel Discussion on Structural Racism with Rep. Ayanna Pressley, DA Rachael Rollins, Mayor Joe Curtatone and other community leaders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMlcU6IY1wM