South of Market Child Care, Inc.

The name South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) was established in the late 1980s. SOMACC's main facility, the Yerba Buena Gardens Child Development Center (YBG CDC) on Folsom St., opened in 1998. In 1999, we opened the South of Market Family Resource Center (SOMA FRC) in the same location to expand our ability to address family health and well-being. Our original location on Clementina St. was relocated to a low-income housing project on Natoma St. in 2006. It was named the Judith Baker Child Development Center (JB CDC) after one of SOMACC's leaders. Unfortunately, we had to permanently close the JB CDC in 2022.

SOMACC was presented with a unique opportunity to open a third location in 2014. We applied, and after a highly competitive selection process, we were chosen as the provider of the Transbay Child Development Center (TB CDC) in the Transbay Project Area by low-income housing developer Mercy Housing California (MHC) and the San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education (SF OECE), which officially opened in December 2019. This opportunity enables our Agency to reach out to more families and children in the community by expanding our early care and education and family support services.

OUR PHILOSOPHIES & CURRICULUM

Our education programs are inspired by leading philosophies in early childhood education:Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) for infants and toddlers, and the Reggio Emilia Approach for preschoolers. These philosophies started post World War II to reconstruct society and to improve the quality of care and education in children.

OUR EARLY CARE & EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Our Infant Program serves children 3 to 18 months and our Toddler Program serves those who are 18 months to 2.8 years. Both programs are inspired by Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophy that promotes respect and an authentic sense of self in children. It also honors infants and young children as equal members in relationships to promote effective bonding and attachment. Incorporating a deep respect and appreciation of the baby as more than a helpless object, this approach encourages infants and adults to trust each other, learn to problem solve, and embrace their ability for self-discovery. Furthermore, continuity of care is a significant aspect of this philosophy.

Our Preschool Program serves older children 2.8 to 5 years and is greatly influenced by Loris Malaguzzi’s Reggio Emilia Approach centered on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment. At the heart of this system is the powerful image of the child and the "hundred languages" that that children use to express themselves. Its self-guided and flexible curriculum emerged from the children's interests, ideas, thoughts and observations. It encourages collaboration among children, teachers and parents; the co-construction of knowledge; the interdependence of individual and social learning; and the role of culture in understanding this interdependence.

SOMA FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER

The South of Market Family Resource Center (SOMA FRC) provides support services to families with children 0-17 primarily in South of Market (SOMA) as well as other areas of San Francisco. Services are offered at the FRC office located at Yerba Buena Gardens Child Development Center, our satellite site at Judith Baker Child Development Center, and various locations in the community convenient to families. The goal of our program is to strengthen families and the community by offering parenting education and support, access to resources and opportunities, promoting school readiness and school success, and community building. SOMA FRC provides individual services such as information and referral, case management, advocacy, assistance with accessing benefits, and basic needs assistance. Group services provided include parenting classes, support groups, parent-child interactive groups and workshops and classes in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. SOMA FRC continues to provide services that enrich the community such as recreational activities for families that promote positive relationship among its members. Staff works in collaboration with SOMA community groups and residents to address community issues and concerns, and facilitate referrals to other agencies. The FRC employs multicultural and multilingual staff that meets the needs of our diverse families.