OEC Creating FAQ on Care4Kids

Do you have burning questions regarding Care4Kids and suspect others might have the same question? The Office of Early Childhood is developing a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to capture questions received during the Care 4 Kids Information Sessions conducted this fall.  The OEC has created an email address for anyone to submit questions for clarification regarding changes to the Care 4 Kids Program. 

The email address is: [email protected]

Questions submitted to the email address will be included in the FAQ and posted on the Care 4 Kids website following the last Care 4 Kids Information Session on October 20th. The FAQ will be updated regularly as new questions are received via the email address.

You can also register for the remaining Care4Kids information sessions on October 13 (New Haven), October 15(Middletown) or October 20 (New London). If you cannot attend the information sessions, you can listen to the recorded PowerPoint presentations in English or Spanish. The most up-to-date Care4Kids information can be found HERE. 

Listen to "Where We Live" Thursday Morning: Child Care Discussion 

Tune into WNPR's "Where We Live" on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. Merrill Gay, CT Early Childhood Alliance Executive Director, will be a guest. The topic will be child care and Merrill will discuss the recently-released New America report, discussing cost, quality and access. If you're not able to listen, we'll make sure to include the link in the next memo.

Stretched: NPR Takes an In-Depth Look at Working Parents' Juggling Act 

Last week, NPR's "All Things Considered" program ran a series called "Stretched: Working Parents' Juggling Act." The focus has been on parental leave, both maternal and paternal. The series can be found HERE.

Alliance Partner Writes Op-Ed for Education Weekly 

Jessica Sager of All Our Kin penned an op-ed on the empathy gap that ran recently in Education Weekly. As Education Weekly requires a subscription, you can read her full piece HERE. 

How Child Care Providers Are Paying for a State's Budget Crisis

Four states - Illinois, Massachusetts, Georgia, and New Mexico - were profiled in The Atlantic Magazine.  Each profile discusses the impact that each state budget crisis has on each state's child care providers. 

CHDI Issue Brief: Addressing Child Development Concerns Early

CHDI has released Addressing Child Development Concerns Early: Engaging Early Care & Education Providers in Developmental Monitoring & Screening, an issue brief which discusses developmental monitoring and screening in early care and education settings. It highlights findings from surveys of parents and providers about State plans to strengthen Connecticut's capacity to identify and support children with and at risk for developmental delays.

A Child's First Visit to the Dentist 

Did you know that a child's first visit to a dentist should be by the age of one or within six months of their first tooth coming in? The first visit is often very short, but it gives the child a chance to meet the dentist in a friendly manner, for parents to ask questions, and the dentist to do a quick exam of the existing teeth for any decay. For more information, click HERE. (NOTE: This link is offered as a resource only, not an endorsement of the pediatric dentistry office, which does not have offices in Connecticut.) 

Middlesex Coalition to Host Candidate Forum 

On Thursday, October 13, from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., at deKoven House, 27 Washington Street in Middletown, the Middlesex Coalition for Children will host a candidate forum. This is a chance to hear from many of the candidates running for State Senate and State Representative to represent parts of Middlesex County.  Each candidate will have a chance to speak, have time for a Question & Answer session and wrap up with open 'meet & greet' time at the end. Confirmed candidates include: Dante Bartolomeo, Ellen Dahlgren, ​Paul Doyle (for part), Paul Formica, Ted Kennedy, Matt Lesser, Art Linares, Anthony Moran, Norm Needlemon, Earl Roberts, Joe Serra, Len Suzio, and Linda Szynkowicz. More candidates are expected to be confirmed participants before October 13. Vincent Candelora, Noreen Kokoruda, Len Fasano, Devin Carney, Melissa Ziobron, and Emil "Buddy" Altobello are all running unopposed this election year, so it is unnecessary for them to attend the event.   

CAEYC Conference is This Week! 

The CAEYC Conference is October 15, 2016 at the Radisson Hotel (former Crowne Plaza) in Cromwell.  CAEYC is also celebrating its 50th birthday on October 14. Click the link to hear more about workshops, raffles, and the birthday party.  If you are a newly accredited center or school, rsvp your attendance to be honored for your hard work! 

HAEYC to Host Annual Bus Tour 

HAEYC (Hartford Association for the Education of Young Children) will host its annual Bus Tour, with the focus on "Farm to Table," on Saturday, November 12. The pick-up and drop-off location will be Goodwin College, 1 Riverside Drive, East Hartford. The tour will include all three campus sites of Alphabet Academy, one program in New Haven and two programs in Hamden. Registration closes on October 30 and checks must be received by November 1. For more information, including cost, click HERE. 

Fall Workshops at The School for Young Children

The School for Young Children at the University of St. Joseph is holding several evening workshops on October 18. For more information, clickHERE.  

Support for the Alliance comes from of our members and our funders: The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Connecticut Health Foundation, Children's Fund of Connecticut, Connecticut Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, The Fund for Greater Hartford, and The Eder Family Foundation.