How county officials have responded to the child care crisis

Ohio, as well as the nation, is currently facing a child care crisis. Working families are being stretched to their breaking point to afford quality care and early education for their young children.

Child care providers are experiencing record workforce shortages and growing wait lists. 

The webinar will be facilitated by Beth Hess, Director of the Center for Early Learning at Groundwork Ohio. Speakers included Erica Crawley, Franklin County Commissioner, Julie Ehemann, Shelby County Commissioner, Jenna Kahly, Clay County Commissioner (Minnesota), and Arabella Pluta-Ehlers, National Association of Counties.

A Foundation for Early Learning.

Quality early learning experiences set the course for a child’s later health and success in school and life. Language development supports children’s ability to communicate, express and understand emotions, begin to think critically and build relationships.   The webinar features a distinguished panel of experts who will share the unique ways they are supporting families and childcare providers.

Groundwork Ohio hosted a webinar to discuss findings and takeaways from a new statewide Ohio poll that shows access to quality child care and early childhood education is an economic issue and vital to addressing Ohio’s workforce crisis.

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Learn more about the poll >>

Join the Center for Family Voice at Groundwork Ohio and esteemed guests for a discussion on how Ohio can better empower families to drive change and improve the healthy development of Ohio’s young children. Groundwork Ohio will also share findings from a new report, "Amplifying Family Voice to Advance Equitable Outcomes for Young Children."

Watch the recording of our virtual Laying the Groundwork Summit: in the Ohio Senate on April 23, 2021. This virtual summit was an opportunity to learn how Ohio's biennial budget can support quality early childhood experiences for Ohio kids, families and communities and how you can engage throughout the budget process. Don't miss this stellar speaker lineup.

Watch the recording of our virtual Laying the Groundwork Summit: in the Ohio House on March 19, 2021. This virtual summit was an opportunity to learn how Ohio's biennial budget can support quality early childhood experiences for Ohio kids, families and communities and how you can engage throughout the budget process.

Join Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices and Groundwork Ohio for a webinar on why access to child care is important to small businesses as a key workforce issue. You will hear from small business owners about why child care matters to them and how small businesses can partner with early childhood advocates to address this issue. Speakers will also discuss what can be done through local, state, and federal policies to expand access to child care.

Join Groundwork and our partners at the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, Ready, Set, Soar Ohio and the National Association of Counties for a webinar on Wednesday, February 24th from 9:30- 10:30 AM. During this webinar, you will learn from national and Ohio county leaders on what you can do to expand high-quality services for infants and toddlers in your community.

Supporting Babies and Families Through the Courts

Learn more about the Safe Babies Court Team™ (SBCT) approach and how we help families with young children navigate the child welfare system. Led by our Center for Maternal and Young Child Health Director Lindsay Ciavarelli, speakers included Sarah Karr, 
Delaney Jones, Karen Ricketts-Byrd, and  Jordan Davis.

Families deserve to be respected, valued, and heard. To help elevate the voices of Ohio parents and families in the policymaking process, Groundwork Ohio is building a statewide Family Action Network. The Family Action Network will be a powerful and diverse coalition of Ohio families from across the state. Watch our informational webinar to learn more about the Family Action Network and how you can help support our efforts.

Join Groundwork Ohio's Center for Maternal and Young Child Health for a virtual discussion on integrating policies that support early childhood mental health to strengthen the foundation of Ohio families and communities.

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Join us for a 30-minute webinar to learn more about the state of child care in Ohio's biennial budget, the Senate's damaging language on child care, and how you can join thousands of Ohioans in this urgent call to action to save quality child care. This event is brought to you by a unified front of child care advocates and professionals.

A meeting with members of the southwest Ohio legislative delegation as a virtual convening of legislators, constituents, and community leaders will discuss the importance of investing in infants, children, and their families in the Ohio budget and what has been proposed to date. Your state legislators need to hear from you.

Ohio's state biennial budget process is now in full swing, but what does this budget mean for pregnant women, infants, toddlers and their families? Join us on Friday, March 12th from 10:00 - 11:30 AM as we provide stakeholders with an update on the state biennial budget and what is needed to ensure that young children and families remain a top priority in the budget. During the meeting, you will have the opportunity hear from an esteemed panel in addition to some special legislative guests.

Join researchers from the Ohio COVID-19 Child Care Study as they discuss COVID-19 among staff and families affiliated with child care programs across the state and lessons learned for managing the impact moving forward. The virtual seminar also highlights key voices with expertise in child health and wellbeing in addressing the value of child care and a sustained investment.