Focus on Families and Child Care

Create Area's Largest Candidate Forum

 In what was the largest non-partisan political forum in Southeast Ohio this campaign season, candidates meet parents, medical professionals, child care providers, teachers and college professors to discuss the statewide Groundwork platform to give families better care and education options for the pre-school years, birth to age six.

 Over 150 people attended the Candidate's Forum which was held at University of Cincinnati's Muntz Hall Theater today.

 House Representative's Tyrone Yates, Steve Driehaus, Bill Seitz and Lou Blessing Candidates for the House Will Newby, Karen Adams as well as Senators Bob Schuler and Eric Kearney and Candidates for the Senate Rick Smith attended the 90-minute program moderated by Channel 12's Dan Hurley.

 House and Senate candidates answered questions generated from the audience about their views on children's issues - including health care, behavioral health, kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and child care.

 The program also introduced Groundwork, a long-term statewide effort to provide quality options so parents can decide the best way to get their own children ready to learn, starting with affordable, achievable objectives in the next four years.

 Groundwork represents a collaborative effort between the School Readiness Solutions Group Taskforce and the Ohio Early Care and Education Campaign.  Local organizations taking a leading role in molding the Groundwork platform include leading colleges and universities, social service agencies, child-care providers and medical organizations serving children.

Lori McClung, Groundwork campaign director, said the campaign has its roots in northwest Ohio.

 "There is no question that northwest Ohio has been a state leader in creating academic and social readiness opportunities for our youngest citizens," said Groundwork, McClung. "We have used what we learned here to develop the workable, affordable Groundwork approach we will present to Ohio's legislators.

 The forum is officially sponsored by the Hamilton County Educational Service Center, 4C, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Child Focus of Clermont County, Mental Health Association, PNC Bank, Cincinnati Union Bethel, Success by Six, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the Ohio Early Care and Education Campaign.

 For more information on Groundwork and the local organizations sponsoring the candidate forum go to www.groundworkohio.org.

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 Contact: Michael Hopcraft

                     614.443.2538

                    614.286.5280