‘The Florida Center for Early Childhood’

Helping Your Child Cope with Back-to-School Stress

By Pam Wilsen, School-Based Mental Health Therapist Here are four things families can do to deal with back-to-school stress  Fall 2020 is shaping up ... continue reading

The Therapeutic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation

By Jill Collum, School-Based Mental Health Therapist at Tuttle Elementary School  July 5-11 is National Therapeutic Recreation Week, but due to the recent uptick ... continue reading

CEO Kathryn Shea’s Message on Why Juneteenth Matters

By Kathryn Shea, President and CEO of The Florida Center for Early Childhood As I sit here in my cozy, comfortable home on the ... continue reading

Inside the Child’s Mind

By Madison Ahles, School-Based Mental Health Therapist at Fruitville Elementary (originally published as a Sarasota County Schools blog) Screaming, crying, whining, eye rolling, hitting, ... continue reading

Shea: Good census count critical to early childhood funding

By Kathryn Shea, President and CEO (This editorial originally appeared in the Herald Tribune on May 26, 2020) Leaders of the Florida Center for ... continue reading

Coffee with Consultants: A weekly advice vlog for parents

By Starfish Academy Social-Emotional Consultants Stephanie Essex & Yang Sandoval As a new mom, Yang Sandoval, a social-emotional counselor at Starfish Academy was having ... continue reading

Managing Meltdowns with Mindfulness During Covid-19

By Monica Mehserle, School-Based Therapist at Lamarque Elementary School  We went from doing it all – dropping our kids off at school and picking ... continue reading

2020 Champions for Children Celebration: A Virtual Event

       Welcome to the 2020 Champions for Children Celebration: A Virtual Event CLICK HERE  to view the event program. Please join us ... continue reading

The Florida Center CEO to retire after nearly 20 years of service

Staff Report Kathryn Shea has served as the CEO of The Florida Center for the last 12 years. Chief Executive Officer of The Florida ... continue reading

The Florida Center: Why It’s Worth the Drive

By Kim Williams, director of developmental Services/FASD diagnostic team For 25 years I have traveled every day from my home in St. Pete Beach ... continue reading