In honor of Head Start’s 60th anniversary, we celebrate the power of Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership and how this program supports the broader early learning system.
Since its inception over ten years ago, the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP, or Partnerships) have helped expand access to high-quality early learning for families and strengthened child care in communities nationwide. Today, in our Network alone, 12 Educare organizations across 11 states currently serve as Partnerships grantees.
With the Partnerships’ competitive grants, grantees support local center- and home-based/family child care programs in providing comprehensive Early Head Start services to families and meeting Early/Head Start quality standards. Through these efforts, child care programs benefit from supports that enhance services and experiences for infants, toddlers and families: professionals development and coaching/technical assistance resources, family engagement, research-based curriculum, infrastructure improvements, learning materials and much more.
The Partnerships are made possible by Early/Head Start funding appropriated by Congress and are awarded by the Administration for Children and Families. The funding comes at an essential time when child care can be difficult to access and afford for families. The Partnerships help address this challenge by positively impacting local child care programs, offering avenues to quality child care for families most in need, and supporting communities.
The Impact of Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships
We asked child care partners supported by grants with Educare organizations in Central Maine and Tulsa to tell us about the impact of the program, in their own words. While some are newer to the Partnerships, others have also served as child care partners for ten years. Here’s what they said!
Enhanced Early Learning Services and Family Partnerships
- “Since partnering with Early Head Start, I have implemented a comprehensive curriculum, observation and assessment system. I have also transformed my outdoor playspace to a more natural outdoor learning environment. My program continues to focus on family engagement as the foundation of our child care.”
- “Our partnership has impacted the way that we think about early childhood education. Our business has flourished with the support of Early Head Start and our [Partnership] coordinators. They have helped us navigate the continual changes in the child care world and been an organization we can lean on when we need it.”
- “The Partnership has increased my confidence as a provider and helped me build stronger relationships with families. I’ve noticed greater engagement from parents and more consistent developmental progress in the children I serve.”
Professional Development and Training
- “The Partnership has helped me grow not only as a child care provider but as an early childhood educator and small business owner. [It] connected me with valuable training and credentials, like working toward my Infant Toddler Credential. I feel more knowledgeable about child development, curriculum planning and how to create inclusive environments that meet each child’s individual needs.”
- “From relationships with families to the child care environment to advocacy to professional developments, [the Partnerships] have encouraged me to continually evaluate every aspect of my business and lead with professional integrity.”
- “Running a child care program on your own can be challenging, and without the Partnership’s support, I wouldn’t have had the same sense of connection, encouragement or confidence in my role as both an educator and a small business owner. It would have been more difficult to work toward my credentialing goals, and I may not have been as aware of the resources available to be successful.”
Infrastructure Supports and Sustainability
- “[Without the Partnership program,] I wouldn’t be able to purchase new toys or supplies. I have also gotten a new metal roof for my child care facility and that’s been wonderful.”
- “The funding provided by the Partnership has been vital to the ability of my program to continue to not only improve in quality, but to keep my doors open. Without the funding, I would be forced to increase parent fees or close my business.”
To ensure the progress of Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, support for early learning funding is essential.
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Support Early Learning
Reach out to your Members of Congress and make sure they stand up for robust early learning investments including Head Start and Early Head Start.
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Read More About the Partnerships
To learn more about the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships in the Educare Network, check out our previous series, A Path to High-Quality Child Care through Partnerships.
About the Author
Jami Pollis is the Infant Toddler Partnership Manager for Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP) / Educare Central Maine and a co-facilitator of the Educare Network EHS-CCP Community of Practice (CoP). The vision of this CoP is to build a community of Network leaders who gain support from one another, share ideas, collaborate on professional development initiatives, and inform the early childhood field through advocacy and policy change. The CoP’s goal is to continue fostering relationships throughout the Network and build on existing connections and structures to assure ongoing communication is effectively supported.
