School-Based Early Support Program: How School-Based Support Changes Lives
“Ultimately, we want children and families to thrive,” then-Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services Anne Williams-Isom said when the School-Based Early Support (SBES) program launched two years ago. “That means support for young people at every step of the way, but it also means support for parents and guardians along their journey too.”
Since our founding in 1953, The Child Center of NY has recognized a simple truth: Children do not grow in isolation. They thrive when their families are supported and their communities are strong. That belief has guided our work for more than seven decades—and it is the foundation of the School-Based Early Support program, funded by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services and NYC Public Schools.
Today, The Child Center proudly serves students and families at 12 elementary and middle schools through SBES. Working hand in hand with school communities, we connect families to a wide range of supports, including case management, parenting education, mental health care, and other essential resources. By embedding these services in schools, we make them accessible in a place families already know and trust. Teachers, parents, and students know they can turn to us for support so that every member of the family can thrive.
That trusted connection made all the difference for Kathy and her nine-year-old daughter, Rebecca, and for Myra and her two sons, Cristian and Christopher. Read their stories to discover how SBES really works, and what it means for individual families.
