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Family program provides nurturing Parents and Children Together (PACT), an upbeat family education program for parents and their children ages 10-40 months, will begin classes Jan. 7.   PACT supports and strengthens families through information, education and networking. It’s a place where moms, dads and their children can go to discover new things about each other by spending time together.    Almost 5,000 parents and children have participated in the program since it began in Charleston 15 years ago. PACT, the only program of its kind in South Carolina, provides family support and education from qualified family educators who hold a master’s or doctorate, and from professional early childhood teachers.   Each class of the 10-week session lasts one to two hours and consists of fun, hands-on parent-child activities, followed by a parents’ discussion period (determined by topics selected by parents) while the children play together with early childhood educators.   “Our child started PACT as his first social venture,” said Sally Watts, wife of Charles Watts, MUSC Liver Transplant coordinator. “The course has been invaluable because our child was premature with lots of respiratory problems, and was medically advised to stick close to home for the first year and a half of his life. PACT was his first chance to get out and meet other children in a safe and educational setting. His social skills have come so far that he has caught up with other children his age. He’s also overcome extreme separation anxiety from us as a direct result of learning to be comfortable on his own at PACT.”   PACT offers parents the support and education to provide their children with positive emotional and intellectual experiences in the earliest years of life.   Classes begin Jan.7 meeting weekly for 10 weeks at seven locations from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Fees are based on family income, with scholarships available.   For information or to register, call 769-5799 or e-mail pact2@bellsouth.net. Information can also be found at http://www.parentsandchildrentogether.org.     Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.