January 29, 2021

New Video Highlights Child Care Crisis in Clallam County

Prevention Works! Clallam County created an important new video on the state of child care in Clallam County, WA. Many other counties across the state and the entire country are experiencing similar child care issues. We invite you to please share this video far & wide to increase awareness of the importance of child care to our families, communities and overall economy. https://www.pw4kids.org/

January 12, 2021

New Child Care Collaborative Task Force Report Outlines Multiple Options for Strengthening WA’s Child Care System

Washington’s lawmakers have numerous options to help strengthen our state’s child care system, according to a new report by the Child Care Collaborative Task Force. The options include financial relief for child care providers, support for working parents and ways to offer health insurance to providers who do not have it.

Child care has always been crucial to Washington’s economy, and now, as the arrival of new vaccines allow us to begin to recover from the devastating economic impacts of the pandemic, it is more important than ever. Yet the child care system in Washington and across the country has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. Last year, up to 24% of licensed child care programs were closed. Currently, 14% of our licensed providers are closed, some of them permanently.

“This year, we have seen the child care industry demonstrate its value and resilience despite an inherently flawed model. Child care delivers a public good through, primarily, small businesses that cannot charge customers (working families) the price necessary to cover costs associated with the essential service provided. High-quality child care promotes healthy childhood development, lets parents go to work and helps employers retain talent and maintain productivity. Families, employers and our state’s economy recovery require a stable and multifaceted child care industry with options to meet families’ varying needs.” ~ Child Care Collaborative Task Force “2020 Child Care Policy Recommendations: Modeling the Cost of Quality, Improving the Working Connections Subsidy Program & Supporting Workforce Compensation and Development” report

You can read the Task Force report here.

January 11, 2021

Resources for Child Care Providers and Families – Supporting Each Other After the Attack on Our Capitol

The recent attack on America’s Capitol has shocked thousands, leaving us and our children with strong and difficult emotions. How can the important caregivers in children’s lives best talk about what happened and the emotions that have followed? We have cultivated this list of helpful resources and tips so we can safely navigate these very challenging times.

National Association for the Education of Young Children – multiple resources for supporting young children and families

Child Mind Institute – ways to talk with children about the violence at the Capitol

Teaching Tolerance – ways educators can support students after violence and disasters

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network – specific steps families can take to reduce the negative impact of violence in the Capitol on children

American Psychiatric Association – common reactions to trauma in adults and children and lists of supports for both

CNN – tips for conversations with children about the attack on the Capitol

Washington State Department of Health – list of hotlines and chatlines for mental health and suicide prevention