People interested in opening an in-home daycare in Macon-Bibb County can now apply for a fellowship that will help them through the application process. It will also provide the necessary training to work with children with special needs, those who have gone through traumatic experiences, or are bilingual and how to incorporate bilingual education.

“We want to provide the support and mentorship to help ensure all children have access to high-quality care that meets their needs and that children are not left unsupervised or with inadequate supervision,” says Farryn Slaton-Barkley, Director of Education and Community Outreach. “Our priority is for would-be daycare owners who are interested in servicing children and families in Unionville or other communities that are not adequately served by childcare providers.”

Faith in Action Holiness Church is receiving $8,500 from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia as part of the Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) grant program to begin this outreach effort.  The lack of options – or centers that don’t have trained staff – means parents are left without a safe place for their children during the day.

Applicants should be at least 21 years old, live in Macon-Bibb County, intend to provide care to children with special needs, take Montessori-training, learn about and offer trauma-informed practices, or intend to offer incorporate bilingual education. Preference will be given to would-be in-home daycare owners who plan to serve children and families in the Unionville area of Bibb County or areas in childcare deserts. In order to eventually open a daycare center, an applicant must meet all qualifications of Georgia DECAL (the state licensing agency) and Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning.

The application for the program can be found here, and it should be submitted by July 31. Successful applicants to the Fellowship can receive financial assistance for their local and state applications, as well as toys and fencing, based on their needs. That includes:

• Macon-Bibb Zoning and Planning Application ($315)
• DECAL Family Daycare Application ($50 licensing fee due at the initial licensing visit)
• Grant for toys ($300)
• Grant for fence for six children ($500)
• Montessori training (up to $100)

According to Faith in Action, adverse childhood experiences can be an indicator for future poor life quality, experiences, and opportunities. Some parts of Macon are already grappling with the consequences of trauma and the negative affects trauma can have in the greater community. The Church is blessed with a number of educators who are knowledgeable of the needs and how to address them, so they made helping children with special needs their number one priority on how they could help the community through MVP.

“If we can make training readily available to new and future childcare providers on how to how to provide research-based and trauma-informed practices, then we should eventually see a decline in violent crimes,” says Slaton-Barkley. “They will be better equipped and knowledgeable on how to work with children who have dealt with traumatic situations at a young age and also those needing specialized care.”