St. Joseph County childcare programs are getting a new kind of support: trained therapists stepping directly into classrooms to help children learn and thrive.
LOGAN Center, which has long provided early intervention through the First Steps program, is shifting its approach. Instead of working with one child at a time, therapists will now support entire classrooms.
“This allows us to work within a classroom and be there for the whole classroom… It’s an opportunity for us to help teachers embed therapeutic strategies into their daily routines,” said Angie Snyder, director of therapy services at LOGAN.
The agency is surveying childcare centers to determine each site’s specific needs. Support may include developmental screenings, teacher training, and embedded speech, occupational, and physical therapy.
“We are very lucky to have the support that we do from our funders. So we are able to offer these services free through their support,” Snyder said.
LOGAN says the initiative grew out of feedback from early learning providers who wanted more hands-on guidance in navigating delays, disabilities, and classroom challenges.
“Teachers have been asking for some support, and this is a way for us to provide that support to them, to really work in partnership with classroom teachers to help children learn and thrive and grow,” Snyder said.
LOGAN hopes to launch the first round of services early next year, with more centers added as funding and staffing allow.
