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Colorado is the fifth most expensive state for child care, but through advocacy and policy, many are hoping to fuel a change in our state. The Growing Our Future coalition has launched a groundbreaking campaign to raise awareness and support for statewide funding for child care. This campaign highlights the importance of early child care for children's development and our economy. Did you know? - The economic impact of inadequate child care in Colorado is a staggering $2.7 billion! - A two-parent household in Colorado spends, on average, 14% of their income on child care, and single parents spend 41%. - An extensive poll revealed that three in four Coloradans see a need for more funding for child care and early learning, showcasing strong bipartisan support. We are proud to be part of this coalition, advocating for a collective approach to child care solutions. Together, we can make child care accessible and affordable for all Colorado families. Read more about the campaign on CPR News: https://lnkd.in/gm3WYSEC

Our child care system is in crisis. Across the country, the cost of care is too high, caregivers are in too short supply, and classroom slots are too hard to find. Without affordable and easily accessible child care, parents can't go to work, businesses can't retain talent, and our economy can't grow. That’s why I’m excited to share with you my new Affordable Child Care Agenda — a reimagining of the way our economy and our government serve working families. And you can help bring that vision to life! Will you be a Citizen Cosponsor of the Affordable Child Care Agenda? My Affordable Child Care Agenda envisions a future where parents are empowered to give their kids the best possible start in life. That means guaranteeing: AFFORDABILITY — Ensure every family can afford quality child care. ACCESSIBILITY — Ensure every family can find care in their community. FAIR WAGES — Ensure every early educator receives a just, living wage. A fairer, stronger economy isn't out of reach. We know how to make our economy work for working families. Together we can turn these ideas into action. I hope you'll take the first step by becoming a Citizen Cosponsor .

🌟 Ensuring Quality Family Child Care: A Necessity, Not a Luxury 🌟 Did you know that quality family child care homes play a pivotal role in shaping our children's futures? Let's delve into some eye-opening historical data: In the early 20th century, as more women entered the workforce, the demand for child care surged. This led to the establishment of subsidized family child care homes, providing a lifeline for working families. Family child care homes offer more than just supervision; they provide nurturing environments where children thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. Studies have shown that children who attend quality family child care programs exhibit higher levels of school readiness and long-term academic success. Beyond the developmental benefits, subsidized family child care has a profound economic impact. By enabling parents to work or pursue education, these programs fuel workforce participation and economic growth. They also reduce reliance on public assistance programs, leading to long-term fiscal savings. Despite their undeniable importance, family child care homes often face challenges, including low wages for providers and limited access to resources. Investing in these vital programs not only supports children's development but also strengthens families and communities. Let's recognize the critical role of subsidized and quality family child care homes. By advocating for increased funding, improved training, and better compensation for providers, we can ensure that every child has access to the nurturing care they deserve. Together, let's build a brighter future for our children and our society. #ChildCare #EarlyEducation #CommunitySupport How have family child care programs impacted your life or community?

In the height of the pandemic in September of 2020, the Alliance for Early Success, with contributions from many of our state and national allies, released a policy roadmap that described what states need to do to transform our child care system. Turns out those ideas weren't pipe dreams; many states put them into action.   In our new report, Child Care Policy Roadmap 2023, we highlight policies enacted in states–red, blue, and purple–that serve as building blocks for a transformative child care system. #EarlyChildhood #ChildCareIsEssential #EveryChildEveryState

Child care is essential to families and communities. It should be free, Elliot Haspel argues. https://lnkd.in/eJ7dCWc2 Child care “makes it easier for parents to work, set down roots, and have the number of kids that they want,” Haspel writes. “Much like public education, it helps children develop knowledge and skills. A comprehensive child-care system can benefit whole communities—including people without children—by reducing poverty, supporting health and safety, and building social connectivity … And child-care educators aren’t just watching kids; they are, much like schoolteachers, developing relationships with children and guiding them as they gain skills and knowledge and grow into full people.” Free-for-some child-care programs have been attempted before, with little success. Richard Nixon vetoed legislation for a federally funded, locally run network of child-care facilities that would have been free for low-income families. The more sweeping efforts to make child care more affordable have faltered, Haspel writes, in part due to “widespread conservative opposition to a universal system and unease over mothers working outside the home.” How “affordable” is defined, and focusing child care on 3-to-4-year-olds by incorporating pre-K into public-school systems, are two examples “of the seemingly arbitrary frameworks that shape American child-care policy.” “Child care, then, has come to occupy a strange position: crucial yet significantly undervalued. The policies governing it are capricious, filled with random benchmarks and major blind spots,” Haspel continues at the link in our bio. “Trying to solve the child-care crisis by striving for affordability accepts largely unchallenged assumptions and a legacy that devalues care. America needs a system that reflects child care’s key role for kids, families, and community vibrancy. Making it accessible to everyone—not just those with a certain income—can help create a sense of solidarity, instead of forcing people to get bogged down in questions of who deserves aid. Child care is indispensable to the national fabric, and ‘affordable’ is not good enough. It should be free.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eJ7dCWc2 🎨: Katie Martin. Source: Getty.

Join us for a Lunch & Learn webinar as we discuss the child care crisis, its impact on businesses and families in Texas, and evidence-based solutions. Register at: https://lnkd.in/gwgwzHdE High-quality child care facilitates healthy brain and socioemotional development in children, while also allowing parents to participate in the workforce. Lack of access to consistent, high-quality child care costs the Texas economy billions of dollars through lost tax revenue and missed work days. Lack of quality child care is also a root cause of rising poverty rates among low-income families. To ensure child care supports families and businesses, centers need high-quality early childhood educators. Texas has opportunities to invest more in childcare to both support working families and strengthen the workforce of today and tomorrow.

The Growing Opportunities for Family Child Care (GOFCC) in Maryland represents a pivotal response to childcare challenges intensified by COVID-19. As the pandemic exposed the system's vulnerabilities, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided essential support with $40 billion funding. However, the sector faces a potential crisis with the recent expiration of these funds in September 2023, threatening the closure of 70,000 childcare programs and disproportionately affecting women and families relying on these services. GOFCC prioritizes high-quality, family-oriented childcare, resonating with parents' desire for accessible, culturally aligned care. This approach is key to nurturing children's development through their cultural and ethnic traditions. To tackle the looming crisis, a systemic, long-term investment strategy is needed, focusing on universal, affordable, high-quality childcare. The strategy includes: Professional Development for Providers: Create tailored programs for family childcare providers, addressing their unique challenges and schedules. Financial Model Overhaul: Reevaluate and redesign financial models for workers, exploring sustainable options like public-private partnerships. Culturally Responsive Quality Measures: Develop quality measures that incorporate diverse cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds, with input from varied stakeholders. Collaboration among policymakers, educators, and community leaders is vital to ensure the sector's resilience and growth. This collective effort can lead to quality, inclusive care for all children, and a brighter future for the professionals in this field. Maryland's GOFCC demonstrates the societal benefits of such investments. For more details, refer to the following sources: For more details, refer to the following sources: Training Family Child Care Providers in Baltimore - The Annie E. Casey Foundation: https://lnkd.in/eMpXVGce Child Care Cliff: 3.2 Million Children Likely to Lose Spots with End of Federal Funds - The Century Foundation https://lnkd.in/eqF3vRtc A Program That Saved Child Care For Millions Is Expiring. What Now? - Vox https://lnkd.in/evyDQWed

Each month, ROI leadership sits down with residents and leaders in our eastern North Carolina community to hear about their goals and concerns. These policy listening sessions support our team in designing programs that meet our community’s needs. In December, we asked attendees to rank the policy issues that they’re most concerned about at a statewide level. By a large margin, people chose quality, affordable childcare. That tracks with the data. A 2023 report from WalletHub ranked North Carolina last in the country for child care affordability when adjusting for median family income. Participants agreed that no matter what the policy is, implementation is critical. At ROI, we see every day the power that respectful, trauma-informed social services have in our work with government agencies. As one attendee shared, “[for me to consider a program] it needs to be someone who maybe looks like me, who has been through things that I have, that can start at a place where they can connect and see me on an eye-to-eye level. Not someone coming in who doesn't have any of these experiences to tell me what I need to do."

You may have caught this article today discussing a proposal for legislation that requires services to enter into partnerships with centers. While on its face, it's a great idea, underneath, we are still missing the point. Child care centers are traditional care. Military families need non-traditional care. There is a place for centers, absolutely. I use centers, many families use centers. The gap is the before and after care. The hourly care. The care for children with disabilities. The affordable care. The care that takes place in the family's home because they need to report at 0300, and you can't get kids up that early every day. Transportation to and from care. Care while you are pending waitlists. Sick child care. Low staffing care. Care for two full weeks while on TDY so your children can stay in their schools. Legislation is needed, but it needs to be created with the input of families. I have 58 families in the The Operation Child Care Project case management right now that will not have their problem solved with a center. It is 2024, put family voices at the table. https://lnkd.in/g-s3KshE

Great Op-Ed from Policy Matters Ohio on the importance of high-quality childcare to parents, providers, workers, and our overall economy. "High-quality child care doesn’t just lay the groundwork for kids to have a better future; it’s part of Ohio’s economic foundation in the present. Our labor force is stronger when parents can go to work knowing their kids are cared for. When child care providers can afford to hire and retain skilled staff, they can keep our children safe and give each child the attention they deserve. Everyone benefits when child care workers — who are disproportionately women and disproportionately Black — can afford high-quality care for their own kids." Recommendations for Ohio lawmakers: - Raise eligibility for publicly funded child care to 300% of the federal poverty level. - Raise reimbursement rates to the 75th percentile and require the lion’s share of the increase go to child care workers. - Conduct a cost-of-care analysis to guide policy decisions. https://lnkd.in/gYGaiczk