Building Blocks Starts Monday

Child and Parent Services (CAPS) in Elkhart is getting ready to start its Building Blocks program on Monday.
 
Building Blocks is a program for preschoolers and kindergartners in Elkhart County who face behavioral issues and just can’t handle a typical classroom.
 
Since 1990, Building Blocks has matched a small group of students with teachers who will work through issues like anger, communication and concentration.
 
The students can spend up to an entire school year in the program but if they make progress they transition back into their normal classroom.
 
The program is free for families in Elkhart County and goes a step further by including routine home visits.
 
This is the second school year students in the program have a dedicated home visitor to include parents in their child’s progress.
 
“I also go to the home and work with the parent on what we are doing in the classroom- try to help them recreate that in the home and then if there are other issues maybe bedtime is hard or meal time is hard we work on those issues in the home but to kind of equip the parents with the tools they need to help their child be successful,” says Audrey Evans, Building Blocks Home Visitor with CAPS.

Jennifer Cunningham, a behavioral specialist for Elkhart Community Schools makes the student referrals to the Building Blocks program.
 
Cunningham says the scope of help goes beyond just 12 students. Building Blocks helps the entire school district when children are able to attend classes without causing disruptions for other students.