Stephanie Patrick

Alisse Ali-Joseph

AIS 301W

8 December 2021

Problem Statement

There are about 3,000 childcare centers and homes in the state of Oklahoma and only two

of them are run by the Chickasaw Nation for Chickasaw citizens (3). In fact, since 2012, there

has been nearly a 30% drop in the number of child care facilities in Oklahoma as the centers

continue to close across the state (3). Because of this decline, there are many Chickasaw citizens

who have lost their child care stability and cannot afford to pay the enrollment fees and/or tuition

for the remaining centers.

There are currently two centers that the Chickasaw Nation have and both have waitlists

(2). This Head Start planning grant seeks to recover this problem and add a new facility in

another location for families in need. The type of program that we are proposing will focus on

many areas including, childhood development; a class dedicated to Chickasaw, the history of the

tribe and the language; and specialized counselors for the families impacted by COVID-19

pandemic, need career counseling, or parenting classes.

Oklahoma has over 38,000 Chickasaw citizens residing in the state and a little under half

of that population are families with children under the primary and elementary school age.

Currently, the Chickasaw Nation Child Development Centers are year-round facilities that

provide child care and education in secure environments. The goal is to add another building for

the families on the waiting list so that they are no longer in a bind for child care.
 Child development covers a full scope of skills that a child masters over their lifetime (1)

including:

1) Cognition: the ability to acquire knowledge and problem solve

2) Social interaction and emotional regulation: the mastering of self-control and the

ability to interact with their peers (4)

3) Speech and Language: the ability to understand and use language, read, and

communicate

4) Physical skills: fine motor (finger) and gross motor (whole body) skills

5) Sensory awareness: the direct focus of some specific sensory aspect of the body for

use (4)

Each Chickasaw Nation Child Development will provide an in-depth curriculum that focuses on

these five skills, including the new center proposed in this grant.

The centers will provide a positive, nurturing environment led by highly trained teachers

and staff. Each classroom will have a daily curriculum that will provide components that focus

on a child’s development and well-being. Children of all ages develop healthy interaction skills

through opportunities and exposure (1). These centers have learning environments that

encourage discovery through play (2) and health and wellness will be incorporated into all of our

programs through nutrition, physical activity, rest and early detection screenings for hearing,

vision, and dental (2) and development. Teachers will partner with parents and caregivers to lead

children through their earliest milestones, helping them through each developmental stage.

The centers will be open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, with an

additional aftercare service provided if needed, through the school, but contracted from outside

of the Chickasaw Nation.

 References

(1) Buttfield, J. (2019, September 29). What is Child Development? Retrieved from

https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/what-is-child-development/#:~:text=Ch

ild development refers to the,parents/guardians to increasing independence.

(2) Chickasaw Nation Child Development Centers. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.chickasaw.net/Services/Children-Youth/Chickasaw-Nation-Child-Developme

nt-Centers.aspx

(3) Palmer, J., & Jennifer Palmer, O. W. (2020, April 11). Despite Pleas, Hundreds of Oklahoma

Child Care Centers Close. Retrieved from

https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/04/10/despite-pleas-hundreds-of-oklahoma-child-care-cen

ters-close/

(4) Sensory Awareness: Why People (Including Scientists) Are Blind to It. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pristine-inner-experience/201110/sensory-awar

eness-why-people-including-scientists-are-blind-it#:~:text=Sensory awareness is the

direct,the characteristics of the environment.&text=Thus sensory awareness is a,not a

characteristic of perception.