LSS-SW FFN Team tailored the institute to address obstacles many Caregivers face: isolation and burnout. FFN is designed not only to provide childcare from our dedicated educators during classes, but also to encourage Caregivers to engage in building their professional social network of Caregivers.

Here, Caregivers can truly find their “village,” a supportive community where they can share experiences, build friendships, and thrive together. LSS-SW believes that every Caregiver deserves this kind of support, and we’re here to help make that happen.

The Institute is made up of four parts, each a puzzle piece to building an empowered Caregiver with a strong sense of fellowship in their community. These components are:

In-Person/Virtual Learning- Covering subjects ranging from screen time, basic lifesaving skills and healthy eating, to emotional learning.

Monthly Social Events- Monthly social events are a highlight of the FFN Institute’s curriculum. These events promote fellowship amongst Caregivers to prevent burnout and isolation. Each Caregiver will prepare one activity for the group to participate in at each family fun day and play date. FFN will provide materials needed at Caregiver’s request.

Weekly Caregiver Cafes ‐ Much like monthly events, Caregiver Cafes are hosted to bring Caregivers together to build friendships and networks for support. Every week, FFN Coaches will conduct cafes with regional cohorts. These sessions aim to keep participants motivated in completing their virtual learning series while fostering an informal network of caregivers. Half of each session will be dedicated to discussing and setting weekly learning goals and topics. The remaining half will be utilized to plan the upcoming Play Date or Family Fun Day.

Play Dates Play dates will be a social event that FFN Coaches facilitate utilizing developmentally appropriate learning activities on the topics caregivers have learned in the last month. Caregivers will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge through quality adult‐child interactions. Each session will be at least one hour in length and include 5 to 7 play stations for caregivers and children to engage in hands‐on learning.

Family Fun Day FFN caregivers will be encouraged to build strong relationships with parents by planning and inviting families every other month to Family Fun Days for the families of the children

in their care. This will give the caregivers opportunities to:

• Help parents understand how children learn through play,

• Help parents understand how play leads to kindergarten readiness,

• Plan and demonstrate skills they are learning in class through hands‐on learning activities, gather activities from other FFN caregivers.