Educated Kids Productive Employees Vibrant Economy …..Support Quality Child Care

Educated Kids

Productive Employees

Vibrant Economy 

…..Support Quality Child Care

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County

• Established 1997• Goal: Quality child care for all Larimer

County children

Child Care Referral Program800+ in ‘04/’05

On-Site Technical Assistance Team     200 providers supported

Provider Professional Development 29 workshops in ‘04/’05. Trained 290 child care providers (many

attended 1 or more classes)

ECC’s Unwritten Goal

Help boost local economy via productive,

working parents who are comfortable

with their children’s child care.

Larimer County

• 10,489 children under age 6 live in

households where parents work.

• This is nearly 60% of all Larimer

County children 6-years-old or

younger.

•Source: 2000 U.S. Census

Quality Child Care A Must

• 40-Year Study: Effects of Quality Care• Tracked participants from age 3 - 40

o 20% more graduated high school than non-participantso 14% more employed at age 40o 26% more had savings accountso $5,000 higher median annual income

Data Source: Abecedarian Project

Pediatricians Agree

“Children who attend high-quality early

childhood programs demonstrate better

math and language skills, better

cognition and social skills, better

interpersonal relationships, and better

behavioral self-regulation than do

children in lower-quality care.” -- Pediatrics Magazine, January 2005

Definition: Quality Child Care

• Licensed providers• Recurring professional development• Credentialing • Meets/exceeds national standards• Variety of educational resources for

children• Developmentally appropriate activities• Safe, stimulating environment

2003 ECC Parent Survey Child Care: Essential for Working Parents

• 41% of Larimer County parents would leave workforce if care not available

• 20% would reduce hours

• 6% turned down job or promotion

• 17% refused overtime hours

• 21% missed 1-9 days of work due to child care problems

Quality Child Care: Larimer County’s Edge

• Employers depend on reliable child care to keep employees working

• Local business, government, families must invest in child care

• Similar to “quality-of-life” investments in transportation, housing and healthcare

ECC Projected Funding – ’05/’06

Fndtn - Local5%

Federal52%

Other.5%

State11%

Foundation - Denver

31%

United Way1%

ECC Fiscal Barriers

• State & United Way funding reducing ’05/’06.

• Budget allows training just 26% of 1,100 providers.

• 1-2 mos. wait for Technical Assistance Team site visits.

• Provider referral requests up 18% -- funding flat.

• Need significant local funding support or could close.

• Low funding = sporadic marketing. Not reaching all providers.

ECC: A Sound Investment

Additional Sustainable, Local Funds

Needed Each Year

$85,000 by July ‘06 & each

following year  

You Can Help

•  Donate to ECC

• Advise ECC on businesses to approach

• Encourage providers to participate in ECC workshops and other programs

• Inform friends of ECC’s Child Care Referral program

• Support family-friendly business

Educated KidsProductive Employees

Vibrant Economy

…..Support Quality Child Care 

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County

PO Box 271708Fort Collins, CO 80527

 970-377-3388

www.fortnet.org/ecc