“ECS4Kids is supporting me and helping me to be successful with my kids and family.” -– Shatavia Wiggins
Shatavia Wiggins is a single mother of two boys, King Richardson (4) and Sincere Johnson (2). We first met Shatavia in March of 2022 when she arrived at Gainesville Early Head Start to apply for King. She was working full-time as a Certified Nursing Assistant but struggling to make ends meet and in need of childcare. Shatavia was offered a slot in February of 2023. King adjusted well to the new classroom environment and his developmental screenings showed he was progressing typically according to his age. King began to show some behavior outbursts in May 2024. Shatavia had already begun the intake process at Meridian but was open to receiving more assistance. Family Advocates Cyarah and Almeda referred mom to ECS’s Child Mental Health Specialist Samantha Watkins who began classroom observations and made a referral to Kinder Konsulting for onsite services. King was diagnosed with ADHD in October 2024 and started treatment consisting of medication and therapy. Teachers were also concerned with King’s communication which prompted further assessments by Child Development Specialist David Cromer. David referred King for an evaluation at the pre-k ESE office. King was staffed in December 2024 qualifying for speech intervention. During this time, Samantha, David, the Gainesville administrative team, ECS’s behavior intervention team, and his teachers worked together to support King.
Shatavia and her family have experienced housing burdens and as a result had to make multiple moves. After being homeless for a short time, they recently moved into a new apartment. Almeda met with Shatavia in November, and she said she just wanted to focus on providing consistency for her family, continue counseling, and have more family time together. She has spent time in the classroom volunteering to help and attends parent meetings and other center events. She has followed up with all the referrals ECS has provided for her child and sought some referrals on her own. She has noticed an improvement in King’s behavior and states he seems happier and talks about his time in the classroom. Sincere was offered a spot in August 2023, and teachers report he is progressing well with no concerns.
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