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As an early care professional, you are familiar with the research indicating that 80 percent of a child’s brain develops before age 3. This research, combined with the fact that between 60 percent to 80 perent of parents nationally rely on non-parental care for their children (ages 0-6), indicates that your role as a caregiver of young children is absolutely critical for the future of our community.
By being a part of the You’re It campaign, you’ll be helping our community prepare children for the future. Here are some ways that you can Be a Voice, Get Involved, and Invest in Children.
Be a Voice
- Demonstrate your support by sharing information and stories about the role quality early childhood education plays in the day to day lives of children in your care.
- Children’s lives are impacted by policy decisions made by leaders at a local and state level relative to quality standards, child care subsidies for low income children, and support of early education initiatives.
- Provide information to parents about how they can support their child’s development. Share information with the parents of children in your care about how they can further support their child’s early development.
Get Involved
- There is strength in numbers. Expand your impact on children by joining a professional child care provider organization.
- Stay abreast of current issues and happenings in the field of early care and education. As Arizona’s early childhood “system” evolves, your expertise will be critical.
- Work with teachers and district professionals in your area to learn about the kindergarten curriculum. Together, you can form a partnership to ensure children are prepared to enter school.
- Host a community event—even something as simple as an ice cream social for the parents who utilize your services—to help spread the word about the You’re It Campaign.
Invest in Children
- Improve your early care knowledge and skills through training and professional development.
- Become knowledgeable about opportunities to raise funds to enhance your early care program. There are many foundations, corporations and government programs that provide grants in the area of early childhood.
- Take a basic grant research and/or grant writing class to learn to develop a successful proposal.
- Take advantage of programs such as Book Bridges, offered through public libraries.
- Look into other resources and programs that can not only improve your program, but increase your ability to attract grant funding for special projects and program improvements.
- Invite local business leaders and community members to an open house/tour at your program/center. Explain to them the long-term economic impact of investing in children at an early age.
- Become knowledgeable about the community resources available to children in your care. Find out about the services offered through various community centers, health clinics and school districts in your area. Create information sheets for parents with phone numbers to help them find resources in their area.
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