Mixed-Income Trauma Responsive Early Education Initiative
In Knox County, 30% of households with children are single-parent families, according to the 2020 Census, and 60% with children under 5 are below the poverty line. Low-income single-parent families often are stuck in a system that discounts their traumatic experiences (ACEs). Multiple indicators point to their children struggling and, in fact, are twice as likely to be poor as adults. Affordable, high-quality trauma-responsive early education is critical. Single parents at TRH and others need options for their children that are developmental with expanded hours. TRH plans to develop a center replicating an evidence-based model of early holistic education that helps children build the foundation for academic success while experiencing relational wholeness. The enrollment will be 50 children (6 weeks to K), targeting low-income single-parent families. To ensure the right ethos and sustainability, the center will be mixed-income.