1 Carrie Sigler-Director
2 Nathan
3 Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything
4 —Data released by the Census Bureau show that the Utah poverty rate—11—Data released by the Census Bureau show that the Utah poverty rate—11.3% in 2015—has not changed significantly since The Utah poverty rate remains higher than it was before the recession, when 9.6% of Utahns were in poverty. Children were even more likely to be in poverty, with 12.9% of Utah children below the poverty line, similar to the 2014 rate of 13.3%. That means that approximately 116,000 Utah kids are living in poverty.
5 Early Child Development FactsEarly childhood is the most important phase of development-lifespan Brain growth is 90% complete by the age of 5 Brain development is influenced by many factors, including a child’s relationships, experiences and environment. Early experiences determine the rest of life Every year 200 million children fail to reach their full potential There are simple and effective ways to ensure optimal child development
6 Toxic Stress, caused by poverty can impact children in the following ways:Causes children to live in fight, flight or fright (freeze) mode. Short attention span Struggle learning; fall behind in school Respond to world as constant danger Distrustful of adults Unable to develop healthy peer relationships Feel failure, despair, shame and frustration
7 A Tool to Break the CycleAll children are born wired to learn and feel Early nurturing relationships are essential Early environment matters Society needs to change and address the needs of young children
8 10 Things Every Child NeedsPositive Loving Interaction Positive Physical Affection Stable Relationships A Safe and Healthy Home A Strong Self Esteem Conversation Music Reading a Priority Open Ended Play Quality Childcare
9 Our Name is Today, We are the FutureOur bones and muscles are growing everyday,- Blood, teeth and hair are transforming every hour- Therefore our needs cannot be postponed,- Reach us Here and Now! We dream to build a peaceful neighborhood and a new world! “My name is Today” - David Morley
10 Did you know… $3 billion is the annual cost of employee absences due to lack of child care. Each day, nearly 6 million children under 3 spend some or all of their day being cared for by someone other than their parents. More than 50% of mothers return to work within the first year after a baby’s birth. Across America, the average cost of child care per year is $18,000. This can be the largest annual household expense for some families. Almost half of families do not budget for child care expenses.
11 Care About Childcare: MissionTo improve the quality of life for the children in Southern Utah who are enrolled in child care programs and provide support for their families and child care providers.
12 Care About Childcare - Five CountyCare About Childcare meets a need no one else does by providing the bridge between parents, providers, community leaders, and policymakers We offer a unique blend of direct services We serve ten Southern Utah counties - Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Washington, and Wayne. We collaborate with other agencies in the Five County Area
13 Our website provides: Assistance to families looking for child care with profiles of licensed childcare providers located throughout Utah Community Support and resources Valuable links for everyone who Cares About Childcare, Child Development, Early Childhood Education, School Readiness, Nutrition and much more
14 We Offer Services for FamiliesFree referrals and information about child care programs, tailored to meet families' specific child care needs Free information on how to choose quality child care, given over-the-phone, through-th and on-line Free child care data and contact information to programs that support families Free resources on child development
15 We Offer Services for Community and Business Partners and other ResourcesUseful data about child care services in local areas Collaboration with a variety of agencies interested in family and child care issues, including a yearly early childhood development conference Community and employer presentations on work-life policies, including ways to support employees with their child care needs, as well as brown-bag seminars for employees on a variety of topics Resources and valuable links
16 Most Important We Offer the Following Services for Child Care ProvidersReferrals to Their Child Care Program Center & Family Whole Record Update Family Start-Up Grants Quality Improvement Grants Training Resource Lending Library CDA Consultant Program Technical Assistance Provider Coaching Provider Nights Additional Resources
17 Quality Childcare is one answer to Intergenerational PovertyEconomic Impact-Upward Mobility Quality Childcare is one answer to Intergenerational Poverty Society, children, families, employers, communities and the nation as a whole benefit Quality Childcare Quality childcare enables parents to work with confidence that their children are well taken care of and are learning Providing quality early childhood education to children in order to improve educational outcomes, improve life chances and close the gap in intergenerational poverty Lifelong Gains Healthy Brain Development Being a childcare provider is an economic opportunity for a family and the community they live in Quality childcare supports healthy development of children School Readiness Reduces Stress
18 Kane County The Utah Office of Child Care has given Care About Childcare extra grant money to work with Rural Utah Areas that are in need of Child Care. Kane County, specifically Kanab, is in need of Licensed, Quality Childcare to care for your little ones. We have funds to help qualified providers through the Licensing process by paying for necessary fees. We will then offer one-on-one technical assistance and mentoring along with grants that will purchase equipment and toys to enhance the new program.
19 A family’s economic stability is an essential part of ending the cycle of poverty. Affordable, high-quality child care supports our children’s growth, development, and educational advancement and enables parents to be productive at work. It creates a positive economic impact for all Americans and is the foundation of today’s economy and infrastructure of tomorrow’s workforce.
20 I Believe The Children Are Our FutureI Believe The Children Are Our Future. Teach Them Well And Let Them Lead The Way Whitney Houston