ELI’s Executive Director Video Transcript

Working Together Through Play. 

We are often told we have the best jobs in the world.  We play with babies.  But it’s not that simple.  We know that the “work” of young children is play…they learn and grow through every experience, every toy, and every interaction.  And because we believe that parents are children’s first and best teachers, we work together with the important adults in children’s lives to help develop and expand their skills as playful teachers and nurturing caregivers.  This is especially important when there are developmental challenges or concerns.

How Do We Support Success?

ELI employs a multi-disciplinary staff of early childhood specialists including Teachers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists, Social Workers and Developmental Specialists. In addition to providing individual therapeutic interventions, our team shares their expertise across our programs to offer dynamic, proactive responses to the unique and ever-changing needs of children and families. More than 60% of ELI’s staff is bilingual and all our services are available in English and Spanish.  Most are delivered in the home or at ELI’s centers in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa, CA.

ELI takes pride in our ability to build partnerships and create programs quickly to support the changing needs of our community.  Currently we serve approximately 600 children and families per month: 350 children with weekly on-going services, 100 in therapeutic play groups and 150 children and families with one time per month services.

Our Vision:

Provide developmental assessments and developmental intervention, education, and support to young children and their families through relationship based services and proactive partnerships in the community. Provide these services in the most natural and desirable environment for each individual child and his/her family. Provide a variety of specialized group services to promote development of skills in socialization, language, motor, and other domains. Provide emotional support to every child and his/her family. Provide resources and information that empowers families for future advocacy for their child. Provide services in the family’s native language whenever possible. Provide education, support, and professional training to the community about issues that impact children and families.