This is hopefully the last time we ask you for your help!  The state legislature is expected to vote on a budget on Thursday.  It is up to us to make sure they go into that vote with early childhood on their minds.  Here’s what we need you to do:

Call or text (if you know their cell phone) or Facebook your legislators with this message:

“When you vote on Thursday, please remember our youngest children.  All of our early childhood programs and interventions are investments that help children and save money down the line.  I especially ask that you support the Care4Kids program with the proposed $124 million in funding.”

If you know that your legislator has been supportive of early childhood, please add a thank you for all that they have done.  

Not sure who your legislator is?  Click HERE.

Car Seat Law Changes

Effective October 1, there are some changes made to the Connecticut law (starts on page 13, section 11) on child car seats, including how long children must remain rear-facing, how long children must remain in five-point harnesses, and how long children must use a booster seat.  The changes to law have led to quite a few questions from the general public and these handy graphics from Safe in the Car (on Facebook) will help further explain.

CT Voices for Children Releases "The State of Working CT" Report

(From CT Voices for Children) Children do well when families do well, and families do well, in part, when the economy provides jobs with fair wages and good benefits. Yet since the Great Recession, the share of well-paying jobs in Connecticut has shrunk, and the state's lagging economic recovery has left many-including youth, black workers, and the less educated-behind. In many cases, disparities between the most disadvantaged workers and the rest have increased.

"State of Working Connecticut Report"evaluates the state's economy through three measures: the labor force, jobs, and wages. CT Voices concludes that Connecticut cannot afford to leave so many workers behind, underscoring the need for policy changes that will improve wages, make education more equitable, and support truly inclusive economic growth.Some key findings:

• Over the last five years, the share of low-wage jobs increased by 9.2 percent. In contrast, the share of mid-wage jobs decreased and the share of high-wage jobs increased slightly.
• People of color have become increasingly over-represented in low-wage work and underrepresented in high-wage work over the last five years.
• Wage disparities by race have widened: the median white worker now makes $10.08 and $8.98 per hour more than their black and Latino counterparts, respectively.
• The wealthiest 10 percent experienced the greatest raise in the last year, while the median worker's wage remained essentially flat.