Indianapolis, Ind – For the Officer Breann Leath Memorial Maternal-Child Health Unit, community partnerships provide critical support to our mission of supporting mothers and babies.

Recently, the Leath Unit had the opportunity to partner with SPARK Learning Lab and Child Care Answers, two prestigious organizations aimed at strengthening childhood education, and received a donation of nearly $500 worth of developmental toys from Lakeshore Learning, a leading provider of children’s educational supplies and proponent of early learning.

The Leath Unit, which resides within the walls of the Indiana Women’s Prison, seeks to address barriers to the social determinants of health affecting pregnant and post-partum women experiencing incarceration, while providing them the unique opportunity to keep their babies after birth. Along with the ability to bond with their infants on the unit, the mothers engage in educational classes aimed at enhancing their parenting skills through evidence-based curriculum.

“We are so honored to have been given the opportunity to work with three of the finest organizations and suppliers in early childhood development,” said IDOC Maternal-Child Healthcare Coordinator, Leah Hession. “The Leath unit’s goal of addressing the social determinants of health go hand in hand with our partner organizations’ visions as we work collectively to provide the highest level of childcare to those in our care and across Indiana

“Lakeshore Learning, which works in collaboration with SPARK Learning Lab, is dedicated to serving the early childhood education community,” said Doug Williams, Senior Vice President at Lakeshore Learning.

“We know firsthand how important it is to create an engaging learning environment during the formative years in a child’s life. We hope these products will assist the mothers in fostering a love of learning in their children from an early age and will create a positive impact in their lives,” Williams said.

The Leath Unit was recently offered the opportunity to partner with SPARK Learning Lab and Child Care Answers to offer training and comprehensive support to early education professionals and mothers in the unit in developing content aimed at addressing topics related to childcare within the unit’s unique setting. SPARK Learning Lab and Child Care Answers encourage family engagement, inclusion, and learning across all socioeconomic lines.

SPARK coaches Cori Newland, Ashley Warren, and Tracey Johns hope to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the women and children on the unit. “Working with the Leath Unit has brought a new perspective to infant and toddler care that opens the door for providing resources for all children in Indiana,” says Johns, an Infant-Toddler Specialist with SPARK Lab. “The first three years of a child’s life are so critical as every person that has interactions with that child will impact the child’s future.

Child Care Answers, a resource program operated by Early Learning Indiana, has already begun developing the individualized content aimed at virtually educating the unit’s correctional officers, healthcare staff, and Leath Unit mothers on childcare topics such as parenting styles, infant nutrition, and Safe Sleep. With each virtual module focusing on a different aspect of childcare and parenting, the women will be able to continue their education, even as the pandemic continues.

Lauren George, a Family Engagement Specialist with Child Care Answers says she is “excited to help moms understand the impact they can have on their child, meeting them ‘where they are’ in their parenting journey.”

After completing the first virtual lesson, Hannah Scott, a mother in the Leath Unit, said, “I am more open to different parenting styles now and see that there is a need for all parenting styles in raising children—there is a need and a time for every type.”

For donations and partnerships, contact: Leah Hession, IDOC Maternal-Child Healthcare Coordinator at LHession@idoc.in.gov

Lakeshore Learning’s generous donation included a mirrored balancing bar, sensory blocks and balls, musical engagement toys, building blocks, sensory tubes, and discovery cubes. These items have contributed to the developmental growth of the children on the Leath Unit.

Lakeshore Learning’s generous donation included a mirrored balancing bar, sensory blocks and balls, musical engagement toys, building blocks, sensory tubes, and discovery cubes. These items have contributed to the developmental growth of the children on the Leath Unit.

Lakeshore Learning’s generous donation included a mirrored balancing bar, sensory blocks and balls, musical engagement toys, building blocks, sensory tubes, and discovery cubes. These items have contributed to the developmental growth of the children on the Leath Unit.