PDG Newsletter April 27, 2022 Business Child Care Advocates are Ready to Assist Business Child Care Advocates (BCCAs) work in regions across Wisconsin conducting outreach to businesses for Project Growth. They also connect businesses and regulated child care providers and provide technical assistance to businesses and providers participating in Partner Up! Activities of BCCAs include, but are not limited to: Being the main point of contact for all Partner Up! grant awardees Checking in with Partner Up! grant awardees and their child care provider partners Acting as a resource to Dream Up! Communities and participating on Dream Up! core teams as invited Building relationships between businesses and local child care providers within their communities Holding orientations and other outreach events related to sustaining child care in communities Participating in applicable community workgroups around child care Recommending other opportunities, including future rounds of Dream Up! to interested community members Connecting businesses and child care providers to other early childhood resources and programs in Wisconsin Collaborating with other BCCAs on processes and best practices Learn more about BCCAs and who to contact on the Project Growth website. April LCEY Meeting Tomorrow The Governor’s Leadership Council on Early Years (LCEY) will meet on Thursday, April 28. Council members will hear updates from DCF's Division of Early Care and Education; the Department of Workforce Development on investing in early childhood; the Department of Revenue on 2021 tax credits; and the Institute for Research and Poverty on new policies and programs to address child poverty. The meeting will close with a discussion about engaging Wisconsin families and state and local agencies in addressing child poverty. You can observe the meeting live or afterwards on the DCF YouTube Channel. Visit the LCEY web page to find the council’s mission, its members, and meeting details. Featured Community Innovation Grant Awardee: Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley Community Innovation Grants (CIG) were awarded in early 2021 to support young children, ages birth to 5, and their families in our communities. Awardees used the funds for early care and education (ECE) programs/projects that address the issues of equity, workforce, access, affordability, quality, kindergarten readiness, and local collaboration. We’ll continue featuring one awardee and their grant activities over the coming newsletters. Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley offers free parent education and support to families and children prenatal to kindergarten entry in Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties. To strengthen the communities they serve, Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley is partnering with St. Croix County Economic Development Corporation; Family Friendly Workplaces; OEM Fabricators; Nolato Contour; JA Counter; Threshing Table Farm; Child Protective Services in Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix Counties; and other community and parent partners to implement their community innovation project. Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley used their Community Innovation Grant to implement a four-part strategy to expand early childhood education opportunities and engage the private sector business community to enhance early childhood education opportunities which includes: Partnering with three county Economic Development Corporations and Family Friendly Workplaces to sponsor two workshops targeted to employers that focus on the science of Early Childhood Development and the benefits of investing in early childhood. Partnering with three private sector employers for the development of a pilot that offered workplace access to early childhood/parent education programming for employees/parents/ grandparents/ caregivers of children 0-5 which included two virtual meetings and the distribution of Welcome Baby and Kindergarten Readiness resource bags. 15 Parent Cafes, planned and led by community partners and parent educators on topics like Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development, Social and Emotional Competence of Children, Parental Resilience, Concrete Support in Times of Need, and Social Connections. Partnering with Threshing Table Farms, Crystal Ball Dairy Farm, Z-Orchard Field, White Pine Berry Farm, and Glenna Farms Field to host an opportunity for a total of 72 families to tour their operations and access local produce. Congratulations to Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley for completing their grant activities in 2021 and best wishes in sustaining your important community work into the future!
