Denver's Early Childhood Council Announces Small Victories for Colorado’s Infant and Family Child Care Action Plan

DENVER, March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A year since the Colorado legislature enacted Bill 19-063, the Infant and Family Child Care Action Plan, the state faces challenges in implementation. Policymakers and business leaders acknowledge that the availability of infant and family childcare is critical to the economic development of the state. With five main focus areas, including operational supports, professional development, licensing, regulation and policy review, the law seeks to address the shortage of child care providers through a strategic action plan.

"We can't understate the gap between the need and availability of quality early child care," said Emily Bustos, CEO of the Denver Early Childhood Council (the Council). The organization is a key stakeholder in the local early childhood system, improving access to quality care for the city's over 55,000 children aged zero to five. They have actively supported Bill 19-063. As Bustos explained, "We have made progress this year alleviating the provider shortage through a workforce initiative that speeds up the process by which individuals can become qualified early childhood teachers."

The Council stresses that there are still challenges ahead. In Colorado over 65% of children under age six have all available parents in the workforce. Yet working families are finding it increasingly difficult to access safe, affordable care with availability steadily decreasing since 2010. To help keep Colorado's families working, the state needs a minimum of 7,000 extra infant slots in licensed centers and over 200 home providers.

"Administering care is tricky for providers. Maintaining quality programs is expensive, and many providers are living below the poverty line. Without additional supports, offering care simply isn't feasible," Bustos said. Considering that Colorado families spend an average of 21% of their income on infant care, Bustos points out that, "Systemic changes are needed to ease the strain on both ends of the spectrum. One piece of this puzzle requires that we educate the early childhood workforce."

To that end, the Council hosts a variety of events, the keystone of which is the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference. For nearly a decade, the conference has continually responded to current needs. This year, trainings and workshops like: Elevating the Early Childhood Workforce in Colorado, Leading Quality Improvement Efforts for Meaningful Change, and Brainstorming Opportunities to Build Strong Child Care Businesses will address some of the complex challenges facing today's child care workforce. The gathering brings together voices from the Rocky Mountain Region to share information and find sustainable solutions.  

Media Contact:
Haysel Hernandez
303.759.5902
[email protected] 

SOURCE Denver's Early Childhood Council

https://denverearlychildhood.org