Family, Friends, and Neighbors Caregiver Institute

In Arizona, access to affordable, reliable childcare is limited. As a result, many young children rely on the care of family, friends, and neighbors rather than traditional childcare settings. 

The Family, Friend & Neighbor (FFN) Caregiver Institute is a free program that helps caregivers learn tools and skills to support children’s healthy growth and development. Classes are held in community locations across Northwest Maricopa and run for 6–7 weeks, meeting two days a week for 2 hours each session. During this time, caregivers can connect with others, build confidence, and learn ways to prevent burnout while strengthening their caregiving skills. 

Topics include: 

  • Child Safety & Wellness: transportation safety, injury prevention, CPR & First Aid, safe sleep, water safety, and healthy eating 

  • Child Development: recognizing typical vs. atypical development, activity level, sociability, and coping with change 

  • Caregiver Skills & Support: frustration tolerance, granting children their emotions, and building strong relationships with parents 

  • Healthy Habits: screen time and other daily routines that support positive growth 

Enrollment is free and voluntary, thanks to support from First Things First Northwest Partnership Council and the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. 

  • Part One: In-Person and Virtual Training Topics: 

    • Program Orientation  

    • Injury Prevention  

    • Healthy Eating 

    • Screen Time 

    • CPR & First Aid 

    • Safe Sleep 

    • Water Safety  

    • Granting Children Their Emotions  

    • Transportation Safety 

    • Frustration Tolerance 

    • Activity Level 

    • Sociability  

    • Coping with Change 

    • Building Strong Relationships with Parents 

    • Recognizing Typical & Atypical Development 

    • Arizona Workforce Registry 

    Part Two: Virtual Self-Paced Topics 

    • Supporting Brain Development 

    • Early Language and Literacy Development 

    • Stages of Play and Development Play Skills 

    • Supporting Gross and Fine Motor Skills 

    • Attachment Theory 

    • Discipline and Setting Limits: Building Self-Control 

    On-Site Childcare Services  

    • While Caregivers Attend the FFN Curriculum, Early Childhood Educators welcome children into a fun, safe, and nuturing space. During this time, children participate in a variety of age-appropriate activities designed to support their growth and development. 

    Caregiver Cafes 

    • Caregiver Cafés offer support through one-on-one check-ins, with FFN coaches holding weekly calls or in-person meetings to reduce isolation and boost well-being. These sessions help caregivers set and revisit personal goals, fostering ongoing growth and connection. 

     

    Socializations 

    • Socializations take place in community spaces across Northwest Maricopa. FFN Coaches facilitate socializations with developmentally appropriate activities, giving caregivers a chance to apply what they’ve learned through meaningful adult-child interactions. Each session includes multiple hands-on learning stations. Families are invited to join, helping to strengthen the connections between caregivers and the children and families they serve. 

     Socializations give caregivers the opportunity to: 

    • Help parents understand how children learn through play.

    • Help parents understand how play leads to kindergarten readiness.

    • Plan and demonstrate skills they are learning in class through hands‐on learning activities and gather activities from other FFN caregivers. 

Enroll Today!

What FFN Provides 

When partnering with us, FFN brings: 

  • Trained program staff 

  • On-site childcare 

  • All program and childcare materials 

  • Incentives for caregivers who participate in the classes 

  • Drinks and snacks for adults and children (if allowed by the host site) 

FFN Program Needs 

To successfully host an FFN course, we look for: 

  • A learning space such as a conference room, classroom, or recreation room 

  • Wi-Fi access 

  • Projector or monitor for presentations 

  • A separate space for on-site childcare while caregivers are in session 

  • Support in sharing information with community members and networks 

  • Childcare Support: FFN is willing to contribute $500 toward the cost of a childcare provider staffed by the host site, if additional support is needed to supplement our staff. 

Interested in Partnering with FFN as a Host Site?

Northwest Maricopa Region- First Things First

The Northwest Maricopa Region lies entirely in Maricopa County and includes six incorporated cities and towns:

Peoria, El Mirage, Glendale, Surprise, Wickenburg and Youngtown; several unincorporated places — Aguila, Morristown, Sun City, Sun City West, Waddell and Wittmann; as well as small parts of the city of Phoenix.

Contact Us

Email: smcgovern@lss-sw.org

Call: (480) 868-0902