Applications for the ARPA Child Care Stabilization Sub-Grants Now Open
Through funding received in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) has established several child care stabilization sub-grant opportunities. A manual procedure letter outlining these sub-grant opportunities is available here.
These sub-grants are available for ODJFS regulated child care centers, family child care type A and type B homes, in-home aides, and approved day camps, as well as Ohio Department of Education licensed preschool and school-age programs that are approved to provide publicly funded child care (PFCC).
Applications for these sub-grant opportunities are now open! Eligible providers must submit an application through the Ohio Professional Registry via a program’s organization dashboard at https://registry.occrra.org/.
Please contact OCCRRA with questions about these stabilization sub-grants at support@occrra.org or 1-877-547-6978.
Taking a Toll: New Survey Finds Ohio Child Care Providers in Peril
New findings from Action for Children’s Taking a Toll report show that the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing challenges of operating in today’s child care landscape are taking a toll on child care providers. The report shows that providers continue to struggle with staffing, enrollment, revenue, and burnout.
Action for Children also found that without additional support, nearly one in five child care providers in Central Ohio are not confident that they will still be open in three months.
The report is an important reminder that child care providers are essential to keeping our families and communities running. Policymakers must take immediate action to stabilize and strengthen Ohio's child care system to meet the needs of providers, young children, and families!
New Blog: There's Power in Trusting and Listening to Families
Families and parents are the experts of their own lives and the lives of their children. As such, families deserve a seat of the table when it comes to the creation and implementation of policies and programs that directly impact the healthy development of their children.
This week, Groundwork Ohio published a guest blog from Preschool Promise in Montgomery County on how their new Parent and Family Voices Committee empowers parents to come together and share their experiences and ideas. The blog also provides important lessons learned on building trust with families, respecting the unique expertise of experiences of families, and investing time and resources to promote equity and family engagement.
Webinar: Coordinating PN-3 Policies at State, County, and City Levels
State and local governments across the country are developing public policy focused on early childhood. Collaborative action across levels of government can help ensure funding is leveraged to maximize the efficiency and sustainability of programs and services offered to families with young children.
On Tuesday, December 7 at 1:00 PM ET, you're invited to join a webinar hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures to learn how state legislators and county officials are working together to improve outcomes for young children and their families. The webinar will feature the first-hand experiences of several Ohio officials, including Groundwork Ohio's Shannon Jones.
Columbus City Leaders Share Plans to Improve Access to Quality Child Care
This week, city and county leaders in the Columbus region outlined their plans to rebuild and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the essential role quality child care plays in helping Ohioans get back to work, the plan includes several recommendations to support the child care workforce and improve access to quality child care.
The ongoing child care crisis has kept many parents – particularly mothers – out of the workforce, hampering Ohio’s businesses and economy. As Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said, "Until we address this issue with child care, our economic growth will not be as robust and strong as it should be."
You're Invited: Learn More About Big Wins for Little Kids in 2021
You're invited to join leaders from The Hunt Institute and the Alliance for Early Success for a special 2-hour interactive event spotlighting 2021's significant reforms in early childhood education, health, governance, equity, and child care access and quality! Click here to register for the event taking place on Tuesday, December 7 at 2:00 PM ET.
The first hour of this special event will follow a conventional view-only webinar format, during which you'll learn more about the report and hear panelists from seven states who will share a little about their victories. During hour two, you’ll have the opportunity to select one of four breakout rooms to hear more and interact in a live on-camera Q&A with the panelists.
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