First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission’s Post

Budget decisions greatly impact systems - check out our discussion on how funding can create support programs, resources, and services for children, teens, young adults, and families: https://loom.ly/q84cqBg

#Familynetworks are essential for the healthy development of children, providing critical support for their emotional and social growth. This includes not only immediate family members but also extended relatives and friends, who enrich a child's experiences with additional guidance, love, and support. These relationships bolster a child’s sense of security and belonging. Recognizing and strengthening this support network can significantly impact a child's life. One of the crucial roles that families play is in the #earlyidentification of issues that could escalate into more serious problems. Families who are informed can spot emerging concerns. By addressing these issues promptly, families can prevent situations from worsening, thereby reducing the need for crisis intervention. However, everyone occasionally needs assistance, and it’s perfectly okay to seek it. All families can experience times of instability or stress that might overwhelm their ability to emotionally support their children or recognize early warning signs of issues. This is why it's crucial for professionals to remember that we ALL share the responsibility to recognize any emerging issues a child may face. This is when early community support becomes invaluable! Community resources play a significant role in supporting families before statutory services may become necessary. Schools, nurseries, health visitors, religious organizations, charity groups, and mental health services can offer support, education and programmes that empower families and provide additional safety nets for children. Education for parents and caregivers is a particularly vital element that can help prevent emerging concerns to escalate. Programmes that teach parenting skills, child development, conflict resolution, and stress management can equip parents with the tools they need to support their children effectively and manage the challenges that arise during upbringing. The combination of the family and early community help can contribute to prevent the escalation of issues that often lead to intervention by statutory children's services. By strengthening family bonds and community support systems, we can help to protect children and ensure they grow into healthy, happy adults. Here in #Oxfordshire, we are incredibly fortunate to have amazing #community resources available to children and families. For more information check out https://lnkd.in/gwTpsih4

If you’re a young person living, working, or attending school in East Central Indiana, we need your perspective! East Central Indiana is preparing for the second round of READI funding. To be competitive, our region needs to develop a strong plan centered around regional priorities and community consensus. Help us understand the needs of young people in the region by taking our youth survey here: https://bit.ly/3rjSRl0

Head Start grantees can adapt to changing community needs by converting enrollment slots from Head Start to Early Head Start. To ensure high-quality services for Early Head Start children and families, staff need to have the appropriate qualifications and competencies. Learn more about the staff qualifications of Head Start grant recipients who underwent slot conversion before and after the process in this brief from about the Urban Institute: https://buff.ly/3RSX0a3

Graphic Translation: "My biggest concern is being able to cover the basic needs for my children." We asked parents: What are the biggest challenges and concerns for Illinois parents and their families right now? Cost of living, job-related pressure, and housing insecurities (such as unaffordable housing, challenges in owning a home, and rising rents) were commonly highlighted as significant challenges by a majority of parents within our Illinois Parent Survey Panel. Other common themes included access to affordable quality basic needs, such as food, transportation, and child care. Learn more about the Illinois Parent Survey Panel: https://lnkd.in/gDwUWHEi

On April 25, 2024, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and Education released its budget proposal, which excludes community-based organizations and providers within the PreK for All (GSRP) model. This proposal would exacerbate Michigan's child care crisis, negatively impacting families and communities. Join ECIC and partner organizations in urging lawmakers to create a strong mixed-delivery early care and learning system that includes community-based organizations as part of PreK for All in Michigan: https://lnkd.in/dYEbQzUD Learn more about the budget proposal’s impact: https://lnkd.in/eaaZJSyn

Child care needs stable funding so child care providers can keep their lights on and families can access the care they need. But in September 2023, the majority of federal COVID-19 aid for child care will expire nationwide. A new research brief from the Buffett Institute contends that this loss of federal funds only highlights the precarious position of Nebraska’s early childhood care and education system, which is already under-funded by millions of dollars. Cathey Huddleston-Casas, the Buffett Institute’s associate director of workforce planning and development and the author of the new research brief, estimates that Nebraska is not only failing to make progress toward fully funding child care, but the state is falling further behind. Explore our new study: https://lnkd.in/gzyB6exd

Looking to address complex challenges in your agency or #ChildWelfare system? We’re here to help! Our Telling Our Story series unpacks how the Center partners with states and jurisdictions to support strategic goals and improve child outcomes. Explore the stories at:

While Month of the Young Child has come to a close, we understand that the early child care sector needs sustained commitment. This is why we’re dedicated to doing more than just describing the problem, and instead focusing on reimagining what a future for child care can, and should, look like. Check out the five things we are keeping at the forefront of our minds as we reground ourselves in our commitment to supporting educators, children, and their families: https://lnkd.in/eCJiAKez

Great story here about the history of our organization!