Rebecca was in the process of moving back to Arizona. She was looking for a job which also meant that she needed to find safe, reliable, and affordable childcare. By reaching out to Maricopa County, she was actually able to achieve both goals.
When Rebecca first spoke to Laura Waldren, a family support specialist in Maricopa County’s Human Services Department, she already knew that she wanted to enroll her child in the Early Head Start Program. She had worked for Maricopa County’s Head Start program before her family chose to move out of Arizona. Because she had witnessed firsthand the quality of care and education the program provides, she knew that was exactly where she wanted her child.
While meeting with Rebecca to complete the child’s enrollment, Laura spoke to her about job opportunities and job fairs. Laura recommended that Rebecca contact the local elementary school to ask about open teaching positions. A job at the local school would mean that she would be at the same location as her child, and have a similar schedule.
Just as Rebecca was offered a position in another school located in another community, Laura told her about a job at the very same Head Start location that her child would be attending. As luck would have it, Rebecca wound up returning to her former position that she held before temporarily leaving Arizona.
Now, when Rebecca drops off her child at Early Head Start, she also starts her workday. With assistance from Maricopa County Human Services Department’s Head Start program, Laura and her family have settled back into life in Arizona and have been able to reach some of their goals. They were even able to purchase their own home.
This is one example of how the caring team at Maricopa County’s Human Services Department goes the extra mile for families, helping them to achieve their goals for financial security and a stronger family life.
If you know a family with children under the age of 5 years who could benefit from the wraparound services provided through the Maricopa County Head Start program, we invite you to share this link: www.Maricopa.gov/HeadStart. For more information on other support available through the Maricopa County Human Services Department, visit www.Maricopa.gov/HelpWithBills.