Contact Your Members of Congress NOW!

(From First Five Years Fund) We need your help to ensure the child care industry receives the crucial support it needs to survive the mounting economic crisis.

Across the country, businesses and families are grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Congress considers a far-reaching economic stimulus package in response to this crisis, click here to contact your lawmakers in Washington and urge them to include robust support for the industry that makes it possible for millions of working parents to go to work each day: child care.

The nation is facing months of uncertainty and the potential for extended business closures due to the growing crisis. The strain being placed on our child care providers, who are already operating on razor thin margins, could force many out them of business permanently.

At the same time, as businesses and schools are being told to close their doors to limit the spread of this deadly coronavirus, countless workers on the front lines of battling this pandemic are still relying on child care to be able to show up to work and keep our country running. 

Congress needs to hear from as many people as possible that the child care industry requires substantial assistance in the upcoming economic recovery package.

Click here to contact your lawmakers now.

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Updates & Information

We are in unprecedented and uncertain times. The Alliance will share information as it becomes available from the CDC, Office of Early Childhood, and Governor Lamont's Office. Information is moving fast - we will keep the memos concise and offer as many resources as we have at our disposal.

The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) has been issuing memos (memos can be found HERE) since March 12 regarding the fast-moving situation. Child care centers are not being told to close at this time. Two new memos have been released from the OEC - Memo 6 and a memo regarding Birth to Three and Home Visiting. 

One of Governor Lamont's Executive Orders waives certain licensing and other requirements to maintain and increase availability of child care. The OEC has issued a new memo (Memo 7) to describe these waivers further.

Here is a Survey Monkey LINK from 2-1-1 Child Care to track child care opening/closure status during COVID-19. 

There is also a link available to a NAEYC survey regarding child care challenges, including financial hardships programs may be facing. This survey is gathering information to share with Congress, the media, and state policymakers. 

Tonight (3/16) at 6:45 p.m., CSEA-SEIU and All Our Kin will be hosting a phone call primarily for family child care providers in regards to Care4Kids payments, but OEC Commissioner Beth Bye will join for a Q&A. The call is at 6:45 p.m. and YOU will receive a call at that time to join the call. The link to register is HERE.  

Finally, the White House is now recommending that people avoid gathering in groups of more than ten people. 

Bills Update

The following have reported out of committee

HB 5220 An Act Expanding Care4Kids to Parents Participating in Even Start or in Certain Secondary Education Programs 

HB 5222 An Act Expanding Eligibility in the Care4Kids Program for Homeless Families

HB5213 An Act Concerning the Creation of a Pilot Program for an Early Childhood Business Incubator Model

HB5121 An Act Concerning Certain Protections for Group and Family Child Care Homes

SB282 An Act Establishing a Tax Credit for Employers That Make Payments Toward Child Care Costs of Employees

HB5336 An Act Requiring Background Checks for Certain Employees of Licensed Youth Camps

SB87 An Act Concerning Eligibility for the Office of Early Childhood’s Child Care Subsidy Program for Victims of Domestic Violence

SB227 Act Concerning a Fair Work Week Schedule

We are also concerned about:

HB5439 (section 4) which would change the elementary education certificate back to K-6 and thus making the Early Education preK – 3 cert much less attractive to prospective teachers