Friends Center for Children
We’re opening new centers to serve more New Haven families with high-quality early care!
The first three years of a child’s life are critical in the development of the brain architecture that forms the foundation for all future learning and success, yet in New Haven, the availability of high-quality care for infants and toddlers remains limited, and access to it has, for too long, been proven dependent on zip code and bank account. At Friends Center, we’re working to change that with a long-term expansion plan that will open doors to high-quality ECE for 270+ children by 2027 with four centers in locations where access to such care has been historically low.
Though the buildings and locations vary, all of our center’s share a common program and mission, which includes our progressive child-centered curriculum rooted in Quaker values of community, simplicity, equity, integrity, stewardship and peace; a pioneering emotional wellbeing program that supports all children, families and staff through challenges and adversities of all kinds; dedicated educators supported by professional learning opportunities, a new teacher housing program, and a workforce development partnership that helps prospective new educators obtain their certification with paid field experience at Friends Center; and a sliding scale tuition that ensures equitable access for all families and builds a program that embraces diversity at every level.
