FIRST THINGS FIRST

Child care now costs 39.4% more than rent across 100 of the largest US metros, according to a recent Lending Tree report. This was true for the average monthly cost of full-time center-based child care for two children, which is estimated at $2,182. Families shouldn't have to decide between paying for quality child care and housing or tuition—creating child care solutions is more important than ever. First Things First is working with partners, business and community leaders statewide to make the case for early childhood investments. Learn how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/dqHw9XJ3

Today’s babies, toddlers and preschoolers are our state’s generation next—the generation that in just a couple of decades will be entering the workforce and beginning their own families. Addressing early childhood needs is our best opportunity to ensure a solid foundation is set from the start. In State Fiscal Year 2024, First Things First funded programs to help parents support their child's health and learning—like family resource centers, home visitation and language and early literacy development. Decisions about which programs to fund are informed by recommendations from volunteer regional councils after thorough study of the needs in their communities. Read more about the statewide impact of FTF investments in SFY24 in our annual report: https://lnkd.in/gK8KHnsK

Recent research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Moms First highlights what is happening in Arizona and nationally: without quality child care, working families deal with immense challenges that potentially put them out of the workforce. Quality child care is essential to employee retention and overall workforce development. 90% of employers said child care benefits boost talent recruitment and retention, as much as paid time off and health insurance. What do child care benefits look like? Stipends to help employees with rising child care costs, on or near-site child care or partnering with local providers for back-up child care options. FIRST THINGS FIRST has resources for Arizona businesses to learn about family-friendly practices employers can adopt. https://lnkd.in/dqHw9XJ3

60% of young children in Arizona live in households where all adults work—affordable, accessible child care is essential to working families. In a session with the Yuma City Council, First Things First Community Engagement Coordinator Zahid Plantillas highlighted how investing in quality child care is foundational for the workforce of today and tomorrow. Mayor Douglas Nicholls of the City of Yuma, Arizona weighed in. "Well, they really focus on our youth and their education outside of the classroom and how we, as a community, support their growth, their development because they are our future, but also they are our present." Read the KYMA article here: https://lnkd.in/gHjVGJkW

Funded by First Things First, a new family resource center (FRC) opened this week in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Public Library. FRCs connect families to free resources and education to create stable, nurturing environments for their children. Watch the NBC Channel 12 clip here: https://lnkd.in/gujT7JTD “The research is undeniable that the time between birth and age 5 is a critical period for brain development and family resource centers provide families with access to information, resources and services in one convenient location to support their young child’s development,” said First Things First Chief Regional Officer K. Vilay. Vilay addressed the crowd along with City of Mesa Mayor Giles, Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis and Mesa Library Director Polly Bonnett. Learn about the impact of FTF-funded programs across Arizona: https://lnkd.in/gMqwCzMQ

First Things First CEO Melinda Morrison Gulick presented to the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council earlier this week. The council, which represents mayors of all the municipalities and tribal nations, discussed the economic impact of the child care crisis in Maricopa County and all of Arizona. Arizona employers lose $958 million annually due to absences and turnover—parents often miss work or leave their jobs due to child care issues. High quality child care is a smart investment for Arizona employers. With accessible, affordable, quality child care, we can support today's workforce while building the workforce of tomorrow. #AZFTF #ChildCare

Tempe Chamber of Commerce featured First Things First CEO Melinda Morrison Gulick on the East Valley Business Podcast last week. In this episode, Gulick dives deep into the child care crisis in Arizona, emphasizing its economic impact on our workforce. "Investing in every single one of Arizonans, from birth to five, will ensure that we have that workforce ready when the time comes," says Gulick. "Early childhood education pays off because there's less intervention....it results in less grade retention, less interactions with juvenile justice and other social service needs." Watch or listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gfhXHJPk to learn more about how to advocate for early childhood support. 🔗

A recent survey from Education Forward Arizona, a nonprofit organization, points to child care as a significant barrier to Arizona residents pursuing education beyond high school. According to the poll, child care responsibilities are a moderate issue overall, but when looking at the data by gender, child care becomes a major challenge for Arizona women. A large part of ensuring babies, toddlers and preschoolers get a strong start and supporting working families is investing in quality child care.  As Arizona’s early childhood agency, First Things First, has been working with partners across the state to find child care solutions that work for families and those who employ them. Read more: https://lnkd.in/du4fPwuU

Earlier this week, Acting Secretary Julie Su highlighted the Pima Early Education Program scholarships (PEEPs) in her visit to the Ocotillo Early Learning Center in Tucson. These scholarships provide funding for local school districts and preschool providers to offer scholarships to qualifying preschoolers. Over 1,600 3- to 5-year-olds participated in PEEPS during the 2023-2024 school year. The Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, Adelita Grijalva, joined Su along with the Arizona State Building and Construction Trades Council and the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona and Pima County. 

The First Things First 2024 Annual Report is hot off the press. 🔔 First Things First is the only state funding source dedicated exclusively to the beginning of the education continuum, from birth to age 5. We invest in programs and strategies like: - Quality First, Arizona's quality improvement and rating system that provides a unified, measurable standard of child care - Home visitation, where families can get individualized support and coaching for developmental concerns through home visitation - Language, literacy and culture in tribal communities that provide children with opportunities to engage with their cultures - Family resource centers, community hubs that connect families with resources, referrals and parent education And many more programs that support the development, health and early education of Arizona's youngest children. Now that pandemic relief funds for child care have ended, the impacts are evident. As FTF Board Chair Steven W. Lynn puts it, "It is vital that business leaders, community leaders and policymakers work with early childhood partners like FTF to continue to make the case for quality early childhood investments." As funding for early childhood programs declines, spreading the importance of investing in early childhood is imperative. Read more about how these programs impacted real families and why long-term solutions are needed. https://lnkd.in/gE-Y8_ZC