INSTEP Center for Families

Innovative Supports To Empower Parents (INSTEP)

INSTEP is a one-of-a kind childcare center that provides high quality part-time care focused on early childhood education and school readiness for children that fall through the cracks of traditional childcare assistance. For parents, it provides family support advocacy and parent group learning sessions.

INSTEP is a licensed, part-time childcare program serving children and families who fall through the cracks of traditional government programs. INSTEP makes care accessible to families who do not qualify for subsidy, are seeking or waiting for permanent childcare, or cannot afford or require traditional full-time models. For many children, INSTEP is the only formalized education they will receive before entering kindergarten. Our curriculum is based on Creative Curriculum, which has been shown to promote the cognitive, language, social/ emotional, and physical development of young children. We know that an investment in early childhood education is a good investment. According to economist Art Rolnick of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, a $1 invested in early education and childcare brings a $12 to $16 return to the community.

INSTEP is well-used by the community and consistently has a waiting list of families who would like to use our services. At this time we have 107 children on the waiting list. Without childcare, these parents are unable to make progress toward self-sufficiency and economic independence. We know of no other affordable services to families in transition and poverty such as ours. Part-time care is rare and costly. The average hourly rate for childcare in Hennepin County is $8.56 per hour, per child. INSTEP charges 50 cents per hour, per family. According to the Children’ s Defense Fund, childcare has seen the most soaring prices of any basic need, with a 55% increase in costs in Minnesota in the last decade. We began tracking our cost per unit of service in 2006/ 07, and have increased efficiencies due to better attendance and improved relationships with parents. Cost per unit has decreased by nearly 29% since 2006/07.

In response to the need for additional support, Jabbok added family advocacy and support services in the fall of 2005. Our INSTEP staff works with referral agencies and our entrance interviews to determine that the family has nowhere else to turn for quality childcare. The Family Advocate position works with families on individualized action plans and works with the families to achieve self-sufficiency goals.

Families served by INSTEP come from many different parts of the world and speak a variety of languages. In fiscal year 2009-2010, 96% of the children served were people of color and 87% of our children speak a language other than English in their homes. In response to the diversity of our participants, our teachers are multilingual and multiethnic.