A Cross-Sector
Network That Delivers
Our Initiatives
Connecting Children & Families to the Right Resources
Thrive by Five Connects is an online resource that lets families identify and connect with relevant programs that support their child’s early learning, special needs identification and intervention, physical and mental health, and nutrition. Evaluated through a simple screening process, this customized list of high-potential programs engaged with Thrive By Five can help families garner abundant resources and support for their child’s timely and healthy development.
Give the right opportunities to your Child
No one said raising children is easy. You’re not alone. Thrive by Five Connects helps Pinellas and Hillsborough families with young children access programs and resources to ensure that our children thrive! Complete a short questionnaire and you’ll receive a customized list of available services to meet the unique needs of your young child and family.
The Four Essentials of Childcare – Connected
Children don’t come with instruction manuals, and sometimes the journey from “expecting” to “expert” can feel like a fraught path! Kindergarten readiness is a path with many steps, but there is a plethora of support in our community to help get you and your little ones off to a great start.
Did you know there are four primary components to getting your little one ready for school?
Click the buttons below to learn more!
Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Special Needs
Physical Needs, Mental Health Needs, and Nutritional Needs
Ensuring Access to Quality Early Learning Opportunities
Getting Support for Family Needs
Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Special Needs
If you think your child may have a special need or be best served with extra help, talk with our friends at:
Help Me Grow
This free program is designed to support questions and concerns of families while providing access to resources that could offer early detection for health or developmental challenges.
Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System (FDLRS)
Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System is a project of the Florida Department of Education that provides diagnostic, instructional, and technology support services to district exceptional education programs and families of students with disabilities.
Early Learning Coalition
(ELC) Inclusion Specialist
Free support, information and a referral service regarding the inclusion of children with special needs and disabilities in Pinellas County. Request information relating to disability and special health care needs.
Early Steps
Florida’s Early Steps partners with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to provide early intervention and therapy services to eligible infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years old) with significant developmental delays or a condition that may result in a developmental delay.
Healthy Kids (Medicaid)
Florida children from birth through age 18 are eligible for health insurance coverage. Florida KidCare includes free, subsidized and full-pay options based on family income and household size.
Physical Needs, Mental Health Needs, and Nutrition Needs
If meeting basic health needs is sometimes a challenge, see see below for agencies that can help:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
This Food Assistance Program helps
people with a low-income buy healthy food.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care.
University of South Florida St. Petersburg Infant Family Mental Health Center
Services for children 0-5 and their families
include assessment, consultation, and therapy.
Florida Department of Health
in Pinellas County
Wide variety of clinical and nutritional services for residents and visitors alike. Services include Primary Care, Dental Services, Laboratory Services, Pediatrics, WIC Services, Family Medical Care, School Based Clinics, or even low-risk outpatient prenatal care.
Ensuring Access to Quality Early Learning Opportunities
Great options for you to consider when looking for places where your little one can learn and grow!
School Readiness Scholarships
Children from low to moderate-income working families or with other identified risk factors may receive scholarships to attend an early education program.
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
Prepare four-year-olds for kindergarten and build the foundation for their educational success. All children who turn four years old on or before September 1st and reside in Florida are eligible to attend a free VPK program.
Childcare Resource & Referral from the Early Learning Coalition
FREE community service that offers information and referral services to all families that are looking to find care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, before and after care for school-age children, and summer camp information in Pinellas County.
Head Start / Early Head Start
High-quality, early educational services are available to children and families who would otherwise would lack access to these life-changing child and family support services.
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based, parent-involvement, school readiness program that helps parents prepare their three, four, and five-year-old children for success in school and in life.
Getting Support for Family Needs
When meeting the daily needs of your child or your household feels overwhelming, look to some of these resources to help:
211 Tampa Bay Cares
Helps families with minor children, prevents child protection investigations, homelessness, and further social service engagement by providing families with the right service, at the right time, for the right need.
Healthy Families
Home visiting program focuses on educating and supporting families to be the best parents they can be. The instructions that didn’t come with your baby that everyone could benefit from. We work with families from pregnancy until the child is linked to the school system (up to age 5).
Healthy Start
Healthy Start offers universal screening for all pregnant people at their first prenatal care visit and for infants at their birthing hospital to ensure early preventive care. All our services, including father services, are not based on income or insurance status, and are provided at no cost to expectant families and those with children under age 3.
The Healthy Start Coalition’s Coordinated Intake and Referral Program
Childbirth education; Newborn care instruction; Breastfeeding education and support; Parenting education and support; Counseling services; Help to quit smoking; Nutritional education; School readiness; Child development education and support; Family planning education; Car seat safety; Infant safety.
FindHelp.org
Find free or reduced-cost resources like food, housing, financial assistance, health care, and more.
Help starts here.
More Help for Parents and Caregivers
Get Connected to the Right Resource
If you’re still not finding what you’re looking for, please complete this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.