Investing In Thriving Children
When a child has stability, resources, and connections, they will flourish. The earliest experiences and relationships have lifelong effects on the development of a child. Early childhood education lays the groundwork for lifelong success and is vital in nurturing a child’s full potential.
Our Secure Start Initiative offers a network of community partners that provide early childhood educators and caregivers with guidance and education. This eight-week course helps caregivers support a child by building strong emotional and social foundations.
Together, we are building a foundation for children to learn, grow, and truly thrive. Educators, caregivers, and parents are learning to adapt the way they interact with children to deepen connection and trust with children, while learning more about themselves in the process.
In 2025, we expanded the reach of the Secure Start Initiative to include New Haven School Readiness educators and providers, bringing this vital support to classrooms across the community and impacting even more children.
"This was eye opening and helps me to be an emotionally mature and intuitive person with a lot more empathy" - Secure Start Parent.
“The program lends itself to parents and teachers in a way that they feel secure enough to take in the information and reflect on what they learned. Every parent that takes this program walks away a different person” - Mora C., Circle of Security Facilitator.
“When you acknowledge children and listen to them, they’re more communicative. It’s easier to make an impact and for them to understand when we need to intercede or if they are having an issue with another child, they are more amenable to stop and listen because we have that relationship” - Jamie C., Early Childhood Educator.
For more on the Secure Start Initiative, visit https://uwgnh.org/securestartinitiative
