Handicare

Handicare, a leading child care provider in Iowa since 1981, is committed to the belief that all children deserve the opportunity to grow and develop in a nurturing environment that encourages their full participation. Our philosophy is reflected in our infant, toddler, preschool, and school-complement programs. We take pride in our history of caring for children from diverse backgrounds, including those with special needs. Our higher standard of care ensures that every Handicare child receives specialized attention.

Our Services

At Handicare, we offer a comprehensive range of services designed to meet the individual and family needs of our clients. Our services include:

• Infant-Toddler Component: Our infant-toddler component is for children from infancy through two years of age. Our infant rooms follow each individual child's eating and napping schedule, while play times and stimulating interactions are provided to meet each child's developmental needs. Toddler classrooms follow a more structured routine and incorporate some group times into the daily schedule. Learning centers are made available to help teach children about themselves and their environment.
• Preschool Curriculum: Beginning at the age of three, children are introduced to a preschool curriculum that focuses on quality care and education. Handicare uses the Creative Curriculum to guide our planning of developmentally appropriate lessons that focus on school readiness and social/emotional development. Learning centers are made available to help teach children about themselves and their environment, and group times are incorporated into the schedule each day.
• School Complement Program: Our school complement program is for children in kindergarten through third grade. Our emphasis is on social and leisure activities. We provide care before and after school, on school conference days, during winter and spring breaks, and during the summer. We provide transportation to and from designated schools during the school year.
• Special Needs Support: Handicare is committed to supporting children with special needs and their families both on and off site. We partner with various local service agencies to provide the support and resources needed for a child to be successful in our program and in the community.

Benefits of Choosing Handicare

At Handicare, we believe that a child's early years are critical to their development, and we strive to provide the best possible care for our children. Here are some benefits of choosing Handicare:

• Caring, Long-Term, Professionally Trained Staff: Our staff members are committed to providing the best possible care for our children. They come from diverse cultures and have a variety of professional degrees and certifications, and our direct-care staff have been with Handicare for an average of 6 years. Our food service, building janitorial, and administrative staff allow teachers and caregivers to devote all their time to children.
• Flexible Scheduling: Handicare is open from 6:30am-6:30pm and offers flexible part-time billing options to accommodate families.
• Transportation: Two 15-passenger vans and certified drivers are available to transport children to and from school and into the community for field trips.
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack are prepared on-site to meet state nutrition program standards and are offered at no additional cost.
• Policies and Procedures: Our policies and procedures are developed and monitored by a volunteer board of directors consisting of parents and community business partners. We also speak four different languages (Spanish, Farsi, Arabic, and French, Lingala). We can modify meals for children with special dietary needs.

At Handicare, we are committed to providing high-quality care for our children while lowering costs for families. We welcome donations to help us maintain this standard of care.