You may also need to learn about what services are available for your children. One of the most important responsibilities that you have as a parent is to make sure that your child is getting a good and appropriate education.

FirstFind.org is an easy-to-use website that can point you to agencies in Westchester County and in New York State where you can get specific, in-depth help. Firstfind.org includes a specific section to help you learn about local educational agencies AND about some services that schools are required to provide to your child.

In FirstFind.org, the section titled Help Your Child Learn and Develop covers three topics:

• Before Kindergarten has links to local agencies to help you locate child care providers or Head Start program for your child. It also includes some tips on how to choose the right program for your child. Pre-K education is very important to your child’s success at school, and FirstFind can help you build early literacy skills that will prepare your child for success.
• K-12 includes a detailed explanation of public school systems in New York State and students’ educational rights. There are also some suggestions about people you should know at the schools. You can also learn about different learning disabilities, the process for getting help for your child, information about discipline, and advice about how to advocate for your child.
• Parenting Resources offers ideas on how to apply what your children learn in school to everyday activities at home.

The other section under Family Resources, titled Government Benefits, mentions where you can find help with finances, food, housing, utilities, health insurance, and more.

Find out more about your local library’s services for children. Libraries offer programs for pre-school children, middle-schoolers and teens. The more they read the more they learn. As soon as they can write their name, they can get a library card and borrow books to read at home. In addition to programs and books, there are computer resources and databases you can use today. A complete list of libraries is located here.