Child Care Network Washtenaw Regional 4c

TO HELP FAMILIES FIND AND PAY FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE, AND HELP PROGRAMS PROVIDE QUALITY CARE.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM (FSP) - THE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM PROVIDES TUITION ASSISTANCE (SCHOLARSHIPS) TO FAMILIES TO PAY FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE. FSP ALLOWS PARENTS TO WORK AND FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION WHILE ASSISTING CHILD CARE ENTREPRENEURS AND THEIR STAFF IN ACHIEVING, MAINTAINING, AND IMPROVING EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. PROGRAM STAFF WORK WITH PARENTS TO PROVIDE STRENGTH-BASED GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING. FSP SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE IN GENESEE, HILLSDALE, JACKSON, LENAWEE, MONROE, AND WASHTENAW COUNTIES. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM LEVERAGED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS TO PRESENT $975,913 IN EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS TO 424 CHILDREN FROM 293 FAMILIES. THE TUITION WAS PROVIDED TO 81 EARLY LEARNING BUSINESSES.

GREAT START TO QUALITY SOUTHEAST RESOURCE CENTER - THE GSQ SE RC HELPS CHILD CARE PROVIDERS BY PROVIDING TRAINING, RESOURCES, AND ON-SITE CONSULTATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE PROVIDED TO YOUNG CHILDREN. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, RESOURCE CENTER STAFF SUPPORTED 161 LICENSED PROGRAMS WITH QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS AND PARTICIPATION IN GREAT START TO QUALITY. IN ADDITION, RESOURCE CENTER STAFF OFFERED A TOTAL OF 12 GREAT START TO QUALITY ORIENTATION TRAININGS FOR A TOTAL OF 118 LICENSE-EXEMPT PROVIDER ATTENDEES. THE RESOURCE CENTER ALSO OFFERED AN ADDITIONAL 111 TRAININGS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TOPICS WITH A TOTAL OF 2,075 PARTICIPANTS. THE RESOURCE CENTER STAFF ALSO SUPPORTED PROVIDERS WITH STABILIZATION GRANTS AND HAD A TOTAL OF 1,218 PROVIDER CONTACT. FINALLY, THE RESOURCE CENTER STAFF WORKED TO BUILD CHILD CARE CAPACITY IN HILLSDALE COUNTY. BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 5 NEW HOME PROVIDERS HAD OPENED UP, AND 7 ADDITIONAL WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING LICENSED. THIS INCREASED HILLSDALE COUNTY'S CHILD CARE CAPACITY BY 10%.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS CHILD CARE NETWORK RUNS ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. THIS INCLUDES 2 DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCES BUILDING ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN AND BUILDING CONNECTIONS HOME PROVIDER CONFERENCE. THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD OVER 200 CHILD CARE PROFESSIONALS AT THE CONFERENCES FROM 23 DIFFERENT MICHIGAN COUNTIES. IN ADDITION, CHILD CARE NETWORK OFFERED 40 CLASSES WITH 907 PARTICIPANTS AND 73 TRAINING HOURS. IN OUR TALENT PIPELINE AND CHILD CARE INNOVATION FUND WORK, STAFF SUPPORTED 141 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS WITH TRAINING FOR THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CREDENTIAL AND/OR RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS TO OBTAIN CREDENTIALS OR HIGHER EDUCATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. THIS INCLUDES 4 FAMILY, FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROVIDERS. THROUGH OUR FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, 45 LICENSE EXEMPT PROVIDERS ATTENDED CAREGIVING CONVERSATIONS FROM THE GROUP OF 68 THAT WERE SUPPORTED WITH FREE TRAININGS, LOCAL RESOURCES AND FREE CONSULTATION. THROUGH OUR CHILD CARE INNOVATION FUND WORK AND FFN PROGRAM, 8 PROVIDERS WERE SUPPORTED WITH ONGOING PROSPECTIVE AND EXPANDING LICENSES. THROUGH OUR TRISHARE CHILD CARE PROGRAM, 43 CHILDREN FROM 33 FAMILIES WERE SUPPORTED WITH 16 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING. STAFF ALSO SUPPORTED FORMER RESIDENTS FROM ATHERTON EAST IN FLINT WITH GETTING CONNECTED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE CHILDREN ARE KINDERGARTEN READY.