Clayton Launches Colorado’s First Proactive COVID-19 Testing Initiative for Early Childhood Education at Educare Denver
November 10, 2020
Clayton Early Learning has partnered with COVIDCheck Colorado, a social benefit enterprise of Gary Community Investments, to launch the state’s first COVID-19 testing initiative designed to support the early childhood learning community. Since September, COVIDCheck Colorado has provided regular COVID-19 testing to all Clayton Early Learning staff, as well as Clayton enrolled children and their family members, regardless of symptoms.
The program was designed to maintain the health and safety of the Clayton family, children and families, with ongoing testing on the Clayton campus. Testing takes place twice a month and is conducted as families arrive and check-in at Educare Denver in the morning.
This unique COVID-19 testing program reflects the organization’s belief that a whole child, whole family approach to the early years is one of the most powerful ways to address societal inequities and create a thriving community. Through this partnership, Clayton hopes to build a statewide and national model for ECE programs to positively impact local public health efforts as well as the economy.
“Throughout the pandemic, communities around the country have a growing awareness that unless the system to care for our youngest children works, no one works,” commented Becky Crowe, president and CEO at Clayton Early Learning. “Most of our families and our teachers don’t have the luxury of working from home right now. If we put equity at the center, children and families who are economically vulnerable and the essential, early childhood workforce need to be at the front of the line when it comes to accessing regular COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and an eventual vaccine. This is a moral and an economic imperative, which is why we are grateful for this incredible collective effort.”
