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Pivoting During a Pandemic
The year 2020 brought with it unprecedented challenges and opportunities to fulfill our mission to strengthen families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment. Monitoring local and national health reports and directives regarding the spread of...
Seeking New Board Members
Are you passionate about strengthening families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment? Illuminate Colorado is growing our board of directors. We are seeking passionate, dedicated individuals representing multi-cultural perspectives and/or life experiences to join our Board of Directors.
Tools of the Caseworker’s Trade: Using the Toxicology Resource Guide in the Field
The Toxicology Resource Guide was designed as a resource to support caseworkers not only during trainings, but also in the field. It is imperative that child welfare caseworkers have the tools they need to meet the needs of the families they serve. Since substance use...
Circle of Parents Is Not Just for the Parents
Finding community can sometimes be difficult, especially in a rural setting. From getting answers to all your parenting questions to something as simple as finding a babysitter, it’s helpful to have a group of people you can go to for support. For one mother in...
Building a Fort on a Solid Foundation
That fort became the quintessential metaphor for what we were going through as a family and possibly what our society was going through as a whole. The building of that fort is something I will never take for granted and never ever forget in reflecting on the true purpose that it actually served.
Shaping Colorado’s Early Childhood Landscape
Colorado is at a turning point. Due to the passage of House Bill 1304 Early Childhood System, the state is embarking on a journey to redesign how the state structures early childhood programming by creating a new state Department of Early Childhood, effective July 1,...
Kiowa County Becomes the First County to Reach Child Safety Tipping Point
Illuminate Colorado is excited to announce this week that Kiowa County is the first county in the state of Colorado to reach the tipping point to create a new standard of child safety in the community. In June of last year, llluminate launched the Tip Colorado...
Promoting Focused Eye-Hand Coordination
A picture is worth a thousand words! However, focused eye-hand coordination are the four words that come to my mind when I look at this photograph. This picture captures a baby focusing on the objects in front of her and then reaching out for them--a perfect example...
What good was his diagnosis anyway?
I finally realized my adult son was not going to be able to live independently when he couldn't hold down a job and had several arrests for theft. It was not fun going to court or visiting him in jail. I was seriously afraid he'd end up in prison. I regret waiting to...
Learning Through Imaginative Play: Following the Lead of the Child
“Hi Declan, how are you doing today?” Madison Clay, the Illuminating Child Care mobile classroom early childhood lead teacher, greets the almost three year old as he enters the classroom. He answers “I’m fine,” walks over to the shelf, and grabs the colorful 3D...
A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Your Child Baby Sign Language
Have you found yourself unsure of what your baby wants or needs? Baby sign language can help you and your baby communicate before they start talking. What is Baby Sign Language? Baby sign language refers to the use of a limited vocabulary of modified gestures from...
Family Voice Makes a Difference Illuminating Systemic Change
Families are experts on their children and by extension the programs intended to support them in strengthening their families and addressing challenges. It is for this reason that Illuminate Colorado looks to parents and caregivers with lived experiences as the...
The Time is Now to Make Wise Investments on Local and State Levels
In the months and years ahead, Colorado state and local leaders have the opportunity to spend both American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and Opioid Settlement Funds. Being a local-control state is both a blessing and a curse in so many ways when it comes to investing in strengthening families.
Reflecting on Progress Toward Prevention During the 2021 Colorado Legislative Session
When families, organizations, communities and policy makers focus on building protective factors, we can effectively prevent child maltreatment and keep families strong during the pandemic and beyond. Last week, state legislators concluded the 2021 legislative...