The Cabrillo Children's Center & Lab School is accredited through the early care and education professional organization, (NAEYC) National Association for the Education of Young Children. The Children’s Center & Lab School serves as an integral part of the Early Childhood Education Department and College and is an ideal setting where ECE Students have a model laboratory experience in the “only ha
nds-on” standardized workforce training site and non-intrusive observation lab in Santa Cruz County. Upon completion, virtually all Cabrillo ECE Students are employed by the majority of child care programs throughout Santa Cruz County. Target Populations Served:
1. We serve low-income infants, toddlers and preschoolers with subsidized child care services by highly trained Early Education Master Teachers, and ECE Students who are gaining invaluable work experience through their practicum coursework.
2. We serve low-income Cabrillo College student families who have an identified vocational/training goal or trying to obtain general education units necessary to transfer to a four-year college. Families qualify for state-subsidized child care services based on their gross monthly “income and need” for care. Priority for enrollment follows the California Department of Education, Funding Terms and Conditions for Early Care Programs, and space is offered to the lowest income families and families who have children in at-risk situations (i.e. Child Protective Services-CPS). Note: 35% of families currently enrolled in the center fall under the “At-Risk/Exceptional Needs Category.
3. We serve students enrolled in Cabrillo College Early Childhood Education Program with high quality laboratory workforce development training opportunities. Cabrillo Children’s Center & Lab School strives to address the high demand for well-trained early education teachers, specifically in infant and toddler care. Our ECE students who participate in the intensive one-year teacher training program are closely mentored and supervised by ECE Faculty with consistent models of best practices in a standardized location. Students receiving training in infant and toddler caregiving, represent an invaluable outcome of the lab school program, as this is not widely available. Upon successful completion, students are virtually guaranteed employment by any one of counties infant & toddler child care programs, specifically for the underserved low-income population. Additional Services Provided:
Casa Peqũena Family Child Care Network is comprised of 12 extremely dedicated women throughout Santa Cruz County, who operate full day, year round child care programs in their homes serving infants, toddlers and preschool age children. We have been fortunate to receive state funding for over two decades to host this network under the umbrella of the Cabrillo College Children’s Center & Lab School. The Casa Peqũena Network provides an additional delivery system for child care that is desperately needed for low-income students and working families.
