First 5 Center for Children's Policy’s Post

Today is National Caregivers Day! Let's express our gratitude and appreciation for the remarkable individuals who provide care and support to those in need. Whether they are professional caregivers, family members, or friends, caregivers play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of the ones they care for. Learn ways to show appreciation for caregivers by reading our blog here: https://lnkd.in/epnwtcKM

Want to make your voice heard for child care but not sure how? Share your story with us! Personal stories from families, child care providers, and community leaders can help policymakers identify what works and what doesn’t. Learn more and submit your story: https://ow.ly/zXTn50RiWcb.

Tell Your Senators Why You Love Assisted Living This Thursday, January 25 at 10:00 am ET, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing, "Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults." This will be the first hearing the Aging Committee has held in more than twenty-years specifically focused on assisted living. Ahead of the hearing, we want to make sure that Senators hear from assisted living residents, family members, and other supporters on why they love assisted living and what makes it so special. It is important that lawmakers hear your personal stories, why you chose assisted living for yourself or a loved one, what makes your community a home, and how your care team is like family. https://lnkd.in/e5f39R2f

Want to make your voice heard for child care but not sure how? Share your story with us! Personal stories from families, child care providers, and community leaders can help policymakers identify what works and what doesn’t. Learn more and submit your story: https://ow.ly/TsvM50QHhwT.

There's still time to register for next week's webinar, hosted by Community Care and led by @Hantsconnect on: Our Family Help Journey: Find out how Hampshire turned theory into action to transform Child and Family outcomes The learning outcomes from this one-hour free webinar, taking place at 12noon on Wednesday 22 May, include: • Reflections, positives, and lessons learnt from the first 6 weeks of Family Help being live. What went well, but what could be even better? • Understanding the journey of transformation - how you can build and develop a culture of transformation and continuous improvement in your team. • Turning recommendations into practice- reflections of how the concept of Family Help translates into the delivery front line social care. Link to register and find out more in the comments.

This will be a great discussion. Child care disproportionately takes advantage of the generosity of women, especially Brown and Black women. More than 1.4 million women left the workforce during the height of COVID because they couldn’t get child care. The average child care worker makes less than $14/hour in a world where six figures is the new minimum wage to pay for your housing, essentials, save, and maybe a little fun. The solution is a system that is * built on racial and gender justice * rooted in affordability and accessibility for all families and * ensuring providers all have thriving wages Together we can make foundations to our world that will make the next generations proud and have a better leg to stand on.

Childcare and workforce participation are key elements of Economic Development

In our latest blog, we take a look at how safe sleep is practiced, promoted, and supported across different Illuminate programs. Learn what safe sleep looks like for Family Connects Colorado, Illuminating Child Care, and much more: https://bit.ly/3YjheLP

NEW: We teamed up with Caring Across Generations to grade all 50 states and DC on their progress making investments in care that support people throughout their lifespan: from child care and early learning to paid leave and home and community-based services for aging or disabled people. No state earned an ‘A’, underscoring the need for bold public investments in care. Find out your state’s care policy score, and learn how federal and state lawmakers can build the care infrastructure we all need. ↪️ https://bit.ly/3PybOZX

Professional practice in early childhood is always better when it's done as part of a community of practice. That's why we've made online community groups for early childhood practitioners and partners to connect and discuss the issues in their professions. You can find more information about these and the other supports we have available for practitioners here: https://loom.ly/rbJjum0