Neighborhood House’s Post

At Anglicare Victoria, we believe that every child deserves the best start in life. That's why we're proud to offer the Access to Early Learning (AEL) program, an evidence-based early intervention initiative funded by the Victorian Department of Education. What is AEL? AEL is designed to support three-year-old children from families with complex needs by ensuring they can participate in quality early childhood education and care programs. Our mission is to remove barriers and create opportunities for these young learners to thrive. How Does AEL Work? 📚 Child-Centred Approach: Our outreach service takes a non-judgmental, child-centred approach, focusing on the unique needs of each family. 👩🏫 Experienced Facilitators: A degree-qualified facilitator from AV visits families weekly, developing strong relationships with parents, encouraging learning at home, and promoting regular kindergarten attendance. 🌐 Building Connections: We work to build strong connections between families, kindergarten educators, and other services, ensuring that every child receives the comprehensive support they need. 🎓 15 Hours of Support: Eligible children can benefit from 15 hours per week of free or low-cost kindergarten, providing them with a stable foundation for their educational journey. Areas of Availability The AEL program is available in the City of Greater Bendigo, Central Goldfields, and Latrobe. By focusing on these areas, we aim to bring quality early childhood education to families and children who need it most. Why AEL Matters Research shows that early childhood education is critical in shaping a child's future. By addressing barriers and fostering a supportive learning environment, AEL not only prepares children for school but also sets them on a path towards lifelong success. AV is committed to making a difference in the lives of young children and their families. Through the AEL program, we aim to break the cycle of disadvantage and build a brighter future for all. Join Us in Making an Impact Are you passionate about early childhood education? Do you want to support families in need and help children achieve their full potential? Connect with us to learn more about the Access to Early Learning program and how you can get involved. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eqjbNGMK #EarlyChildhoodEducation #AccessToEarlyLearning #ChildhoodDevelopment #EducationalEquity #NonProfit

The City of Seattle announced a major expansion of the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) with a press conference held at long-time CAST client Causey's Learning Center in Seattle's central district. SPP is a national model for expanding access to high-quality early childhood education. In addition to direct tuition subsidies, SPP also provides funding for non-profit childcare providers to build, renovate, and expand their facilities. CAST has provided on-call design support for the SPP since 2014, and has worked with over a dozen providers to increase their capacity, including five separate projects at three locations for Causey's. www.causeys.org https://lnkd.in/gNbAW53W The increased funding, announced jointly by Mayor Bruce Harrell, City Council Member Maritza Rivera, and Department of Education & Early Learning (DEEL) Director Dwane Chappelle, will provide an additional 279 SPP slots for the 2024-25 school year to children at 16 different early learning centers. Seventy percent of these new slots will be "full-tuition" subsidies; 73% will serve families of color.  Tuition is designed to eliminate cost barriers and is based on household income+family size. SPP hopes to serve 2,500 kids by 2026. A bond measure to reauthorize SPP funding for the next four years will be on the ballot this fall. City of Seattle #castarchitecture #architecture #schooldesign #seattlearchitect #seattlemodernarchitect #educationdesign #earlychildhoodeducation #ECE #earlylearning #community

How to pick the best preschool or child care center for your child - https://lnkd.in/devBvnaz - Preschool options are growing with the expansion of early learning programs, giving families in some parts of the U.S. a dizzying array of choices. Some states, like Colorado and New Mexico, are funneling state money into existing private preschools or child care centers. Others, like California, are expanding preschool through the public school system. Some […]

A recent Los Angeles Times article highlights how California’s child care industry is struggling as transitional kindergarten (TK) programs expand, leading to a lack of available child care for younger children and a shortage of providers. As TK also expands in Orange County, with enrollment growing from 9,608 in 2022-23 to 12,449 in 2023-24, the county’s child care industry faces increasing challenges. While there are 34,420 children aged 4 years old in OC, the licensed capacity for child care centers is struggling to meet demand, with only 6,424 vacant slots out of 84,539. Addressing this issue is essential in supporting parents in the workforce and ensuring that all children have access to quality early education. To learn about First 5 OC’s efforts towards the child care crisis in Orange County, visit first5oc.org/childcare https://lnkd.in/gR2rHJ-N

What does it take to truly put stakeholders in the driver's seat of a planning process? 1. Co-creation from the beginning to the end -- stakeholders don't just share insights or review a draft, they are partners in the process from the very first meeting. 2. Extensive, equity-based community engagement -- community members can engage in different ways, virtually or in person, in their preferred language, and are compensated for their time and expertise. 3. Responsiveness in the process -- project leads are willing to change the process based on what is learned along the way, inviting new voices in or creating additional opportunities for dialogue, to make sure the plan will truly address the insights that were shared. We were proud to facilitate a process that did all of the above and more in Marin County, to develop their early learning roadmap -- a proactive strategic approach that will strengthen the county's entire early learning system. Read it here: https://hubs.la/Q02FtJnh0 --- A project of the Marin Community Foundation. The phenomenal stewards of this project were the Foundation along with the Marin Child Care Council, Marin County Office of Education, First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission, and the Marin Child Care Commission. #philanthropy #earlylearning #earlylearningmatters #communityengagement

Who are we? We want the young living in Shelby County to grow up in a community of opportunity! For most Shelby County families, finding a high-quality early learning opportunity is not just a desire but a pressing need. Parents are in search of safe environments with loving and trusted caregivers where their children can learn and where their whole family is welcomed. However, the reality is that accessing these opportunities is a challenge for too many families. The facts are stark-Shelby County’s families urgently need more accessible and higher quality care. There are 3 main reasons for this: 1. Childcare and early learning are in limited supply, meaning options can be hard to find and even harder to afford. Nearly 60% of the county’s children are not yet in kindergarten and need care that is not available. 2. The availability of licensed, high-quality care is also limited. Only 40% of the County’s licensed facilities have Paths to Quality Levels 3 or 4-designated seats. 3. Childcare is not affordable for many Hoosier Families. The average cost of the County’s childcare tuition ($7,048.00) is similar to one year's tuition at a public university. Early Learning Shelby County works to support high-quality early learning and healthy development for Shelby County's youngest children, from birth to five, by championing policies, promoting innovative and evidence-based practices, and building public will. If you want to learn more about how we’re working to bring affordable, accessible, quality childcare to Shelby County families, be sure to follow us here and check out https://lnkd.in/gtdS2rWU for more updates. 

The Center for American Progress has great new factsheet on the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five program with examples of how states are using this funding to improve data and support young children! https://lnkd.in/e27Nhntp

As much as 85 percent of our brain development occurs from birth to age five, making early childhood learning one of the best investments we can make in our keiki’s health and our community’s future. This fall, more of Hawai‘i’s hard-working parents can start their workday knowing that their three- and four-year old children—and their fast-developing brains—are learning, growing, and thriving in a safe, enriching environment that’s setting them up for future success. That’s due to an expansion of Preschool Open Doors, a preschool access program that’s expected to allow 2,000 more children to qualify for subsidies, providing an early educational boost that will have a lasting impact on Hawai‘i’s collective economic and social well-being, especially for families who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE). Learn more and read the full story, “Bringing Early Education to More of Hawai‘i’s Keiki” in our stories of impact on our website at https://lnkd.in/gU8mNdbv

The data is in from Goodstart - Queensland’s free kindy reforms have cut costs for families and increased the number of children accessing preschool education in Q. Now we need a coordinated national approach to funding that ensures all children and families can benefit from kindy/preschool. https://lnkd.in/gYXdZvFQ