Betty Nash is a pillar of her community, pouring her heart into nurturing local youth through her licensed in-home child care business, Help Save Our Children Day Care. Her dedication shines through on every child she cares for, making a lasting impact on their lives and the community. With a Master’s degree and three decades of experience working with children, Ms. Nash was alarmed when the Boys and Girls Club organizations in the Saginaw area began to close. She recognized the critical need for quality and educational care for parents who worked nontraditional hours, including second and third shifts, and weekends.
Not only does Ms. Nash work a full-time day job, she also maintains a quality child care business for families in her community. Ms. Nash provides after-school and evening care for children to ensure they have a positive place to go while families are at work. “Families need places for young people to go that are safe, loving, and educational,” Ms. Nash explained. “My mission is to provide high-quality in-home care that meets each child’s needs. All children need a safe, warm, and healthy environment where they focus on social-emotional skills, cognitive development, motor skills, physical health, literacy, and mathematics.”
At Help Save Our Children Day Care, families are involved in education and development every step of the way, and Ms. Nash prioritizes fostering independence for the children in her care. Children are responsible for tasks on their job charts, enjoy family-style meals together, and Ms. Nash uses tools like ClassDojo to keep parents informed. She emphasized the importance of progress reports and regular meetings with parents to discuss developmental goals, as part of her commitment to working collaboratively with families. “I believe that parents are their child’s first teachers. We work together to enhance their growth,” she said.
Ms. Nash uses learning strategies from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning to help children develop problem-solving skills. Her focus also includes school readiness goals, whether children are heading to Head Start, PreK, Kindergarten, or any other school setting. Once children are placed in school, Ms. Nash encourages families to share resources like Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to support each child’s growth and meet their unique needs, no matter where they are.
In addition to offering high-quality, comprehensive care, Ms. Nash is dedicated to supporting parents. “I work with young parents and grandparents raising children, and I want to be a blessing to these families by providing strategies and resources for their success,” she said.
Looking to the future, Ms. Nash is preparing to expand her operation. She is approaching retirement from her current job, but she does not plan to stop providing care for her community. In fact, she plans to expand her child care services and plans to purchase a building to offer the same high-quality care in a larger setting. She is determined to remain local, continuing to serve her community.
Ms. Nash’s commitment to her community has built a business that families can trust. Great Start to Quality Resource centers help providers like Ms. Nash make their child care businesses the best they can be. Discover the essential resources to start or expand your quality child care business—connect with your local resource center today.