DID YOU KNOW?
Almost half of all children entering out of home care through the child welfare system were 0 - 3 years of age.9
In every corner of Washington state, community members and partners like you will be key to achieving successful outcomes as outlined in the Early Learning Coordination Plan. You are both accountable to the children and families affected by the plan, as well as shareholders in its success. Below are key strategies for community members and partners to help ensure the future success of our early learning system.
ACCESS
Supporting solutions for paid time off for parents to support their family and children’s well-being.
Advocating for affordability of early learning services for low-income families and families who struggle to afford child care.
Gaining access to culturally sensitive services, activities and resources for economic, health and social emotional learning.
Participating in the co-creation of policies and program design that address disparities based on race, economics, geography, and developmental diversity.
QUALITY
Enlisting the voices of parents, caregivers, educators, and the broader community to be part of creating a more successful early learning system that meets the unique needs of the children in their communities.
Expanding and promoting community-based peer-to-peer support opportunities — allowing parents to focus on both their child’s future and their own.
Support the creation of a healthcare system that provides whole-person and whole-family care.
Increasing funding for and capacity at the local level to provide additional mental health supports for infants, children, families, schools and community providers.
Collaboration
Identifying gaps in continuity of services and eligibility and how to develop creative and flexible system redesigns.
Supporting community-driven solutions to address high levels of stress that can affect parental and infant health.
Coordinating between local community groups, agencies, health care professionals, and the early learning system to ensure more responsive, trauma-informed support for children and families.
Advocating for a more successful and equitable early learning system.
“I would like all of our families in this state to feel like they are represented and that there were people that were advocating for them. I want them to find services that meet the needs of their family in a culturally relevant way. I would want families to experience a “warm fuzzy” when they are seeking services.”
– Sheryl Fryberg, Tulalip Grandmother, Director of Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, Advocate for Tribal Rights and Race Equity
—Resource LINKS for COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL PARTNERS—
(COMING SOON)
