The Chautauqua Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council is offering a program for parents of children ages birth to 5 years called “First Five Years.”

The program is offered free through a grant from the Jamestown Cummins Engine Plant and a partnership between the Chautauqua Alcohol & Substance Abuse Council and Mental Health Association.

The “First Five Years” groups will be held at the Mental Health Association, 31 Water St., Door 14, Suite 7, Gateway Center, Jamestown. The program runs from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 19 and 26 and Oct. 3 and 10. One of the benefits of parenting classes is staying up to date on the newest and most effective parenting techniques. The program is for grandparents, nannies, child care professionals, early childhood educators, mental health professionals and anyone else who lives and works with young children.

The “First Five Years” program is a four-session, two-hour video and discussion group. The program considers child development and parenting in terms of the age/stage of the child within the perspective of varied nuclear families and vignettes of diverse cultures. The program is an early intervention to increase school readiness. Participants who attend will learn the importance of developing language skills, increasing vocabulary, and providing positive learning opportunities during early brain development; the stages of development — why their child acts like he/she does; how to keep a child safe; how to bond with their child; the importance of self-care; and how they can discipline their young child.

To register, call Kathleen Colby at 664-3608.