Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)
Mission of Minnesota Early Childhood Family Education
The mission of LCWM Early Childhood Family Education is to strengthen families and support all parents in providing the best possible environment for the healthy growth and development of their children.
What is ECFE?
ECFE is based on the philosophy that parents are their children's first and most important teachers.
ECFE programs offer support and provide practical and realistic ideas for raising children in today's world.
ECFE is an ISD #2071 Community & Family Education program for families with children birth to age 5. All school district families are invited to attend the programs and activities.
ECFE participation is voluntary and classes are offered for a small fee. Families who are unable to pay may have the fees waived.
Are you new to ECFE?
Please call the ECFE Office at (507) 726-2320 if you have any questions.
Little Knights Early Childhood Family Education
What happens at ECFE?
ECFE programs are tailored locally to meet the needs of families in each specific community. Most programs contain the following components:
Parent discussion groups
Play and learning activities for children
Parent-child activities
Special events for the entire family
Home visits
Early screening for potential health and developmental problems
Community resource information for families and young children
Libraries of books, toys and other learning materials
Who participates in ECFE?
Parents and children participate together. Participation is voluntary and services are offered free, or for a nominal fee. ECFE is committed to accessibility for everyone, so fees are waved for families unable to pay
It is the goal of ECFE to serve a representative cross-section of families with young children in each community. All families have different needs. ECFE is designed to provide encouragement, information, and support to all parents with children ages 0-5 years.
Why start at birth?
Brain research confirms that the first three years are an extremely critical period in a child’s development. This is especially true in the areas of language, social skills and the roots of intelligence. An infant’s daily interactions with caregivers actually determine the structure of some areas of the brain itself. Getting involved in ECFE can help parents be better equipped to deal with the challenges of caring for these rapidly developing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Why involve parents?
Research shows that early childhood programs involving parents and children are more effective than programs focusing exclusively on children. Educators and psychologists agree that it is vital for early childhood programs to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children. Involvement prior to kindergarten encourages parents to play an active role in their children’s learning throughout their entire education. Children whose parents are involved in their education have been shown to be more successful in school.
Who benefits from ECFE?
Society benefits from strong families and healthy, well-developed children. The potential of ECFE to prevent or reduce later learning problems of children has been confirmed by evaluation of ECFE and similar programs. Parents involved in ECFE report feeling more supported and more confident in their role as parents. They also report having a better understanding of how children develop and having improved parenting skills. Research strongly suggests that dollars spent on ECFE are more than repaid by savings in remedial health, education and welfare costs later.
Register for ECFE events here: Register!