FACES (Families and Children Experiencing Success) is an early childhood program providing services to 84 children ages birth to three years old through an Early Heart Start grant. FACES’s children generally live with their birth parents, relatives or with foster families. Often these caregivers are experiencing immediate crisis and need additional services to ensure they remain secure and able to provide for their family's well-being. Our program links these at-risk children and families to services that aid in their healthy development and prepare them to be socially and emotionally ready to succeed in school.

FACES is a year-round full day program operating in South-Central Phoenix and has the capacity to serve 48 children in a classroom setting. We also provide home-based services for 36 children and their families through weekly home visits that focus on child development and parent/child relationships.

Priority for enrollment in the FACES program is given to the following:

• Children who have been placed at the Crisis Nursery Children's Shelter in the last six months by parents or Child Protective Services;
• Children determined to be experiencing developmental delays or whose home environments place them at risk of abuse or neglect;
• Parents who demonstrate risk factors that may pose dangers to their children and their healthy development;
• Children in out-of-home placements (relative or foster family) who need additional services and/or monitoring; and
• Children identified by other community agencies or CPS, as needing comprehensive childcare and family support services.

Through FACES the total needs of each child and their families are gauged to develop intervention strategies, and provide familial strength and support. In collaboration with multiple community partners, the following services are provided: Developmental early childhood education Low teacher-child ratios and small class sizes Individualized curricula that promotes resiliency skills and development Health and developmental screenings and referrals Mental health, special education and speech and language services as needed Two meals and two snacks daily to meet their nutritional requirements Regular home visits to families by the Family Support Specialists Guidance in helping parents develop goals for their child and family Referrals to additional community resources With community partnerships and other supportive collaborations, we are able to serve more children and families threatened with abuse and neglect.