The Greater Fox Valley Child Care Alliance is a network of partners across NE Wisconsin (from Greater Green Bay to Oshkosh) working to make it easier for children ages birth to 5 and their families to get the high-quality, affordable early care and education (ECE) and family supports they need to thrive.
With this newsletter we aim to educate and inform our communities about the need to transform early care and education in ways that will bring about more equitable and lasting outcomes for children and families across the region and to spark opportunities for action, alignment and coordination.
This month you’ll find:
LOCAL NEWS:
- Encompass Child Care winner of the 2024 Top Rural Development Initiative
- Women’s Foundation Connection Matters: Reimagining Child Care
- A Day Without Child Care – Parent Voice
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE & LEARN:
- Young Star Listening Session June 6 from 6-8 p.m. in Ashwaubenon
- “A 2Gen Approach In Wisconsin: A State Case Study for Systems Leaders & Policymakers,” Ascend brief and case study
- Early Learning Nation feature How Five States are Stepping Up to Alleviate the Child Care Crisis
Local News
Encompass Child Care winner of the 2024 Top Rural Development Initiative
Congratulations to our Alliance partner, Encompass, recently awarded the 2024 Wisconsin Rural Initiative Award at the Rural Summit for collaborative work in bringing high-quality education and care to Oconto Falls.
Wisconsin’s Top Rural Development Initiatives is an annual recognition program sponsored by Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc. (WRP) which serves as a network hub for organizations, government agencies and people working to make rural WI a better place.
To read more about this honor and project, click the button below to learn more.
Wisconsin Rural Initiative Award Encompass
Women’s Fund Connection Matters: Reimagining Child Care
Women’s Fund for Fox Valley, Inc. hosted their recent Connection Matters: Reimagining Child Care educational opportunity to discuss how we can better the child care landscape for parents and providers. Community advocates, parents, philanthropy, and non-profit partners gathered to hear directly how to build on the momentum and further efforts to transform how we support and invest in early care and education in Wisconsin. Below is what they had to say:
A Day Without Child Care – Parent Voice
A Day Without Child Care, May 13th is a national advocacy effort supporting the critical importance of child care throughout Wisconsin and our nation with engagement and action events.
Alliance partners were proud to participate and support local and statewide efforts. Just one of many events, the Women’s Fund, WECA, and Raising Wisconsin, held a parent engagement session at the Building for Kids where parents in the community had the opportunity to share their experiences and learn how to get involved.
Interested in learning more or getting involved with this work? Contact [email protected].
Read More About A Day Without Child Care
Opportunities to Engage & Learn
YoungStar Listening Session June 6 from 6-8 p.m.
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) is working to analyze and update YoungStar, the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System for child care. We want to hear from families and child care providers/educators about their thoughts on child care quality.
Join Us at a YoungStar Listening Session
Where: Oneida Hotel 2040 Airport Dr., Ashawubenon, WI 54313
When: Thursday, June 6, 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Read the flyer for details. Registration is required
“A 2Gen Approach In Wisconsin: A State Case Study for Systems Leaders & Policymakers,” Ascend brief and case study
A two-generation (2Gen) approach builds family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and the adults in their lives together. 2Gen approaches center the whole family to create successes that pass from one generation to the next.
The Ascend Initiative at the Aspen Institute just released the report: A 2Gen Approach In Wisconsin. A Case Study for Systems Leaders & Policymakers. In both this historical and forward-looking report, we gain a better understanding of how Wisconsin’s unique political and social landscape has supported whole families and what it will take locally AND statewide to redesign systems and remove barriers so that all families have stronger pathways to social and economic success and well-being.
The report notes the importance of a few specific programs and strategies that exist or are currently building traction and support in our region – for example, collective impact approaches like Achieve Brown County and First 5 Fox Valley – among others.
In February 2024, the Ascend Initiative hosted Ascending in Wisconsin to bring together a diverse group of over 120 local civic and policy leaders, public sector leaders, community based organizations, and parent experts. These leaders, primarily from the state of Wisconsin, spent a day and a half in Milwaukee focused on strengthening outcomes for families using 2Gen or whole-family approaches.
To read the Ascend brief and case study, click the link below.
Early Learning Nation feature How Five States are Stepping Up to Alleviate the Child Care Crisis
The Greater Fox Valley Child Care Alliance shares resources, data, articles and studies to better our understanding and advance a shared vision where all young children and their families are thriving.
Click the button below to read “How Five States Are Stepping Up To Alleviate the Child Care Crisis” by Liz Bell and Katie Dukes, EducationNC
How Five States are Stepping Up Article
Thank You Partners
Read More Child Care Alliance News