The Child Development Department at Santa Rosa Junior College is proud to be designated as a Demonstration Site for the Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC).

PITC was developed by the staff at the Center for Child and Family Studies at WestEd in collaboration with the State Department of Education’s Child Development Division. We believe that PITC represents the most advanced thinking on appropriate practices for the group care of infants and toddlers. As a model demonstration site we work closely with staff of the center to put into practice the theory developed by WestEd. The key points include:

1. Primary Caregiving (each caregiver is assigned a child with whom they will develop a deeper relationship)
2. Continuity of Care (caregivers and children stay together throughout the child's enrollment)
3. Small Group sizes
4. Individual Schedules (partnering with parents, cultural sensitivity, partnering with the infant)
5. Cultural Responsiveness
6. Inclusion of Children with Special Needs

We know that infants and toddlers’ cognitive development is based on the relationships they form in the earliest years and we strive to ensure that the child/caregiver relationship is stable and focused on the individual child's unique abilities and needs.

PITC is a researched-based program and is a rich source for understanding the group care needs of young children. For those interested, access the PITC Web site for more information and additional infant toddler links. PITC has devoted several Web pages to our role as a demonstration site.

Tours of our facility may be arranged by contacting the PITC Regional Coordinator Tracy Johnson at tjohnso2@wested.org or call 415-706-0415.