In November 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10 known as the California Children and Families Act of 1998. The Act recognized a need in the coordinate information and services to support childhood development from the prenatal stage to five (5) years of age.
First 5 is the outflow of Proposition 10. Each county in the State has a First 5 organization that prioritizes work that helps the lives of children and families. We’re called First 5 because of our focus on the important first five years of life.
There are some great starting places. You can dial 2-1-1 and there are people ready to help you with your questions on a wide variety of resources. If you need help with finding child care resources, you can call 209.238.6400. Also, there are a number of family resource centers throughout the county who can help you.
We ALL have questions about parenting. It’s a never-ending and really tough job at times. We recommend calling a family resource center to discover the amazing resources they offer. You can find some online resources at our parenting web page. We also recommend you find a trusted friend who is a good parent and talk with them. Many people reach out to people they trust in their faith community. Everyone needs to have someone they trust that they can talk to. It’s not good to go on the parenting journey alone.
We’re focused on investing in areas that help a wide variety of people with practical needs. We help support a large number of family resource centers, we invest in helping babies to be born safe and healthy, and we provide support to help parents on their journey. Our partners provide parent classes, parent cafes, trainings and support groups that help people.
They are similar to a Board of Directors for us. There are nine appointed Commissioners who oversee the policy and strategic direction of First 5 Stanislaus. To learn more about our Commission you can go to our webpage see more about what we do at First 5.