Resources for Parents

A list of activities happening this month around Orange County for children ages 0-5 and their families/caregivers to attend. Click on each activity for more information.

Learning Link is a drop-in program for children (infants to 5 years old) and their parent or caregiver. Learning Links are a great place for children to meet other children, and for caregivers to learn new ways to play with their child with the help of a qualified preschool teacher. Online: first5oc.org/resources/learning-link/

Connects children and their families to developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years. Online: helpmegrowoc.org or 866-476-9025.

Provided through the Regional Center of Orange County, Early Start offers Early Intervention supports and services for infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months, and their
families. Learn more: English | Spanish | Vietnamese or call 714-796-5354.

Besides being a children’s museum featuring interactive exhibits and activities, the site also hosts resources, tips and activities focused on early learning and educational play. Online: pretendcity.org or 949-428-3900.

Provides simple, practical strategies to help parents raise happy, confident children, set family routines and rules that everyone can follow and balance work and family life with less stress. Online: triplep-parenting.com/us/triple-p/.

Provides resources through California Children's Services and CalOptima Medi-Cal to families and caregivers in California. 

Resource list in English.

Resource list in Spanish.

Resources in Vietnamese.

For more information and resources for people working with affected parents, also visit the Orange County Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit.

Advances awareness, cultivates success and strengthens communities through integrated mental health services for children, youth, and families. Online: westernyouthservices.org or 888-312-0406.

Provides evidence-based mental health services, from Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) program to intensive approaches for addressing the impact of trauma on children and families. Online: childguidancecenteroc.org or 714-953-4455.

Builds supportive, collaborative relationships with Early Care and Education providers in family child care homes and center-based programs, providing information and guidance through a six-step consultation process. Online: startwelloc.org.

Provides confidential 24/7 support service for anyone who has concerns about mental health, substance use, is lonely or confused, or who needs information about available mental health services. Online: namioc.org, 877-910-9276 or via text at714-991-6412.

First 5 OC’s Early Learning Systems manager Cristina Blevins has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education. In this Parenting OC column, she shares how parents can help their children ages 2 to 6 with anxiety about starting school. Read the column: parentingoc.com/education/dealing-with-school-anxiety.

Provides comprehensive early education programs for children and their families, with special emphasis on promoting children’s school readiness in the areas of language and cognitive development, early reading, science, mathematics, social skills, health and physical development. Online: ochsinc.org or 714-241-8920.

This helpful guide helps families and caregivers find places to turn to when it comes to finding child care, preschool or transitional kindergarten (TK) options for your child.

Helps families find quality early learning experiences for young children that are safe and have opportunities to learn and grow. Online: qualitystartoc.org or 714-966-4000.

Getting Your Child Ready for School is a parent resource that is based on the Early Development Index (EDI). The EDI is a teacher-rated measure of kindergarten children’s readiness to learn at school in five areas of early childhood development. This parent toolkit provides tips and information for each of those five EDI areas. The toolkit is also available in Spanish and in Vietnamese.

The California Department of Social Services features a map database where you can find information on licensed childcare providers that are currently open, including location, ages of children served, hours and more: mychildcare.ca.gov

The Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council hosts an updated database featuring child care providers in the county.

The WE CAN Coalition provides this online resource for families of young children who may be facing behavioral challenges or are having difficulty finding child care and preschool for their children.

Children’s Home Society of California helps families reflect on child care options and find the ones that are best suited for you and your family: chs-ca.org/for-families/child-care-referrals.

Safety, food, health, housing: if you need help right away with safety, food, healthcare, housing, or something else, call 2-1-1 or go to 211oc.org.

La Leche League: Helps parents, families and communities to breastfeed and chestfeed their babies through parent-to-parent support. Online: lllscnv.org/group-locator or 714-965-1182.

Supports several Family Resource Centers located throughout Orange County that provides activities and family support services such as food assistance, counseling, legal workshops and more. Online: factoc.org or 714-566-2878.

Provides supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum. women, infants, and children up to age 5. Online: myfamily.wic.ca.gov or 800-852-5770.

Works with partners to provide food to hungry families and also lists other food programs and resources. feedoc.org/get-help or 949-653-2900.

Connects all children and families to affordable and quality health care and social services, including WIC, Medi-Cal, CalFresh and more. Online: chioc.org or 855-927-8333.

This handbook was designed to assist in embracing legal problem-solving as a strategy and to provide a bigger toolbox that taps legal problem-solving resources both inside and outside the sector, so that  perinatal and early childhood systems, programs, and teams can more effectively meet their mission of supporting families to flourish. Get the handbook here.

The handbook is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean Creole, and Haitian Creole here.