THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 7, 1997 TAG: 9701070223
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 120 lines
On a drizzly December day, Melody Thomas makes her way along the winding sidewalks of the Tidewater Gardens public housing community and raps on a door.
``Hey, Chris, it's me!'' she sings out, her bright blue coat a spot of color in a gray day.
Christine Wiggins appears at the door with a smile. She knows who's there even before she opens the door because Thomas comes by every week, sometimes two or three times a week.
Thomas works for The Planning Council, a human services agency in Norfolk, and makes home visits to 10 home day-care providers who have set up businesses in their public housing apartments.
She offers them help with their paperwork, gives them tips on activities for the children and even cares for the children if the provider needs to go to a doctor's appointment or a meeting at her own child's school.
The Planning Council trained the women to be day-care providers and helped them get state licenses in a program called A Step Ahead, funded by a $334,000 Health and Human Services grant, which also helped pay for equipment for the trainees.
The object is to help low-income women become self-sufficient and to provide child care in areas where it will most be needed during welfare reform: public housing communities.
The largest portion of the grant pays for child care. To get the 10 providers up andrunning, the grant pays the child- care fees for low-income parents who sign up with the Step Ahead providers.
At Thomas' first stop at Wiggins' home, 13-month-old Eric Nixon Jr. and 14-month-old Kristian Jones are sitting in their high chairs, eating rice cakes and drinking juice.
``We just came in from our morning walk,'' Wiggins tells Thomas.
Thomas asks whether she needs any purchase orders or other paperwork, and Wiggins tells her she needs more attendance sheets.
``Hi, Eric, how are you doing?'' Thomas croons while getting Wiggins the paperwork out of her file case. She throws him a foam football and asks him to throw it back.
Thomas visits the newer providers, like Wiggins, two or three times a week. About once a week, she drops by to see providers who have had their businesses longer.
Wiggins, who began caring for children in October, received 10 three-hour training sessions to become a provider, and also took a home study course. She goes to training once a month. She said the classes have helped her learn new techniques.
``I used to spank children, but I don't do that any more. Now I have learned that time-out works better,'' Wiggins said. ``Instead of yelling, it's better to talk in a low tone, quietly, and they'll listen.''
Thomas' home visits also have given Wiggins someone to trade ideas with and to ask for advice. ``It keeps me on my toes,'' Wiggins said. ``This business helps me be my own boss, but it's nice to have the help.''
The providers also receive equipment through the grant, including cots, cribs, games, high chairs and other play equipment. And occasionally, Thomas will bring by a game or toy to liven up the curriculum. She also plans to start spending some of her time teaching the children music and movement activities, to show the provider new ideas and to give the children a change of pace.
Thomas leaves Wiggins' home day-care after about 45 minutes, then heads over to Oakleaf Forest public housing community to visit Paulette Turner.
A year ago, Turner was the first person to sign up for A Step Ahead. She began caring for children in April.
Turner said the 10 providers in the program have worked together as a network, calling one another with advice and support, and taking care of each other's child-care children during scheduling conflicts.
``We're like a team,'' she said.
The income from Turner's child-care business helped her ease off welfare in August, which meant losing food stamps and Medicaid benefits for her four daughters, ages 2, 9, 6 and 11.
``It's hard,'' said Turner, who had been on welfare for 10 years. ``I have to pinch pennies and make sure I have enough to pay my bills.''
Still, she feels proud to have her own business.
``I wouldn't trade my job for anything,'' Turner said. ``This has been a blessing. I'm so proud to be off of welfare. I'll never go back.''
She worries, though, that parents might not be able to pay the full price of her care - $65 a week - once the grant expires in February. The Planning Council is applying for an extension to the program.
Heather Bennett, who brings her child to Turner for care, said she will do whatever she can to keep using Turner after the grant ends. ``Paulette is excellent with the kids,'' she said. ``She has helped my child a lot.''
But the single mother hopes the price won't be too high because she can't afford to pay what most child-care providers charge.
Kathryn J. Wolf, director of child-care services for The Planning Council, said she hopes many of the parents who have signed up with the providers will continue with them after the grant ends.
``The majority of parents will be eligible for child-care subsidies,'' Wolf said. ``Also, many of them will be working, so they may be able to afford the care on their own.''
Thomas' last stop of the morning is farther down the road in Oakleaf Forest.
She coos at two babies, who are fast asleep for nap time.
Sharon Martin opens her home day-care center at 6 a.m., and keeps right on going until 10 p.m.
``I love it,'' Martin said. ``It's made me more independent.''
And the home visits by Thomas have helped improve her child-care business, she said.
``She encourages us and lets us know how to better ourselves,'' Martin said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
KEEPING A STEP AHEAD
BETH BERGMAN
The Virginian-Pilot
Paulette Turner of Norfolk now has her own day-care service, thanks
to A Step Ahead, a program that trains providers.
Melody Thomas of The Planning Council visits the homes of the 10
day-care providers trained through the council's A Step Ahead
program. The program helps participants become self-sufficient and
provides child care in public housing communities.
VICKI CRONIS
The Virginian-Pilot
KEYWORDS: WELFARE REFORM