Quality, Affordable Child Care is Vital to Ohio's Families and Economy
This week, Groundwork Ohio joined the Ohio Legislative Children's Caucus, Ohio business leaders, and early childhood policy experts for a discussion on the vital role quality, affordable child care plays in bolstering Ohio's economy and supporting Ohio families.
During the event, Groundwork Ohio shared findings from our recent statewide poll, which reveals that access to quality, affordable child care is key to getting Ohioans back to work. The poll also shows that the pandemic has been a tipping point for families, especially parents with children under the age of 5.
Get to Know Groundwork: Reem Aly, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer
Our work wouldn't be possible without the incredible expertise and passionate advocacy of early childhood stakeholders, partners, and champions like you. It also wouldn't be possible without the work of our extraordinary team!
Over the next few weeks, we invite you to get to know the Groundwork Ohio team by reading our “Get to Know Groundwork" series, featuring Q&As with members of our amazing team.
This week, we’re getting to know Reem Aly, Groundwork’s Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer. Check out our Q&A with Reem to learn more about why she’s a passionate advocate for young children and families in Ohio!
Now Hiring: Director, Center for Maternal and Young Child Health
The Groundwork Ohio team is continuing to grow! We are now seeking applicants to join our team as the Director of the Center for Maternal and Young Child Health.
Our Center for Maternal and Young Child Health is one of three “Centers of Excellence” at Groundwork Ohio. The Center is focused on building and transforming systems that improve maternal and young child health, promote health equity, and prioritize prevention through policy development, research, and collaboration. Through its unique mission and strategy, the Center will engage in advocacy and policy to craft, advance, and scale policies and programs that increase access to high-quality care and interventions for pregnant women and young children.
The Director of the Center for Maternal and Young Child Health will oversee Center activities and drive the Center’s work to improve outcomes for women, young children, and their families. Interested in applying? Applications are due Friday, February 11, 2022.
Study: Nearly 1 in 3 Child Care Workers Are Going Hungry
Ohio's early childhood educators are building our state's future, all while providing critical support to working parents and employers who depend on a strong workforce. Yet despite the vital role early childhood educators play in supporting young children, working families, and the economy, many early educators are struggling to make ends meet.
A new study from the Center for Early Childhood Innovation at South Side Early Learning finds that of the nearly 1 million child care workers in the United States, nearly 1 out of every 3 experienced food insecurity in 2020.
As Groundwork Ohio previously shared in our 2020 The Workforce Behind the Workforce report, early childhood educators make less than half of our state’s average hourly wage. Not only do low wages fail to reflect the important work early childhood education professionals do to support the development of young children, they undermine the investments Ohio has made in advancing a high-quality child care system. Their critical work demands priority and increased state investment in the child care system so that these professionals can receive the support that they both deserve and require.
Event: Medicaid Maternal Health and Pregnancy Coverage
On Thursday, February 17 at 1:00 PM ET, you're invited to join the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families for the latest installment of their Medicaid Learning Lab series.
During this virtual event, experts will discuss the basics of Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum people, including federal requirements, state options, and an overview of recent efforts to extend postpartum coverage beyond 60 days.
With so much attention focused on maternal health and the need to address racial health inequities for moms and babies, this is an important opportunity to gain a firm understanding of the building blocks of maternal health coverage in Medicaid and how they can be leveraged to improve health outcomes.
Want to increase your impact? Share this message with family, friends, and colleagues now!