The Educare Center of Milwaukee opened in September 2005 to serve 150 young children and their families and forms the cornerstone of Next Door's early childhood campus.  The Educare model builds upon traditional Early Head Start and Head Start programs. 

The Educare Center of Milwaukee provides full-day, full-year, high-quality early education and care and family support.  The center is open from 7AM to 6PM and serves infants and toddlers as well as preschoolers - allowing families to enroll siblings at the same site and providing before and after school care as needed. 

Within the center, 50% of the space is devoted to serving infants and toddlers and 50% of the space is devoted to preschool programming.  The children served in the Educare Center of Milwaukee receive a level of early childhood education unequalled in our city. 

The Educare Center of Milwaukee has an open design and much outdoor play space.  The building was designed specifically for young children and the teachers who serve them.  Staff working in the center have had the opportunity to deepen their work with children and families by providing very intensive services and maintaining a consistent relationship with the child and family over time. 

Educare Milwaukee provides balanced programming.  The curriculum gives equal attention to cognitive, social and emotional, and physical skill development.  Teachers concentrate on early language and literacy development to maximize school readiness.  The program also maintains high staff-to-child ratios in the classroom.

In addition, each family enrolled in the center-based program option works closely with a Family Support Specialist.  The Family Support Specialist has training and experience in human services and social work to successfully engage families in the daily life of the program.  Family Support specialists help parents reduce stress which is essential component to healthy brain development.