Seward Early Child Care and Education Solution Workshop

Thank you to all who attended the recent Early Childhood Care and Education Solution Workshop! It was great to see families, providers, businesses, and concerned community members represented in the audience.

Casie Warner, Bloom Director, presented on the Definition of Quality Childcare:

Christiana Smith, SPC Program Coordinator, presented some findings from the Early Childhood Surveys that were conducted after the Town Hall:

There was hearty discussion about the concerns of families in our communities about the access to early childhood care in Seward as well as the barriers that our local providers have. This helped attendees to develop initiatives to present to each other before voting to choose one to establish over the next year. The initiatives that were presented were:

1. Non-profit Local Support Office for:

• Child Care Providers

• Families of young children

• Public Services for young children

2. HEARTS Program

• Hiring Educating and Retaining Teaching Staff - through financial incentives

• HEARTS Program would provide bi-annual bonuses to licensed childcare providers who meet certification and education requirements in three different tiers. The higher the education the bigger the bonus. This will give childcare providers the incentive to complete trainings as well as become a licensed provider. Offering a financial bonus will provide childcare providers the extra income for their family and provide more material for the children in their care.

3. Five Providers make a Week

• Using already established facilities to provide early childhood programs that families and childcare providers could access. Providing a connected community and a diverse curriculum for Seward children.

4. Non-Profit Childcare Facility and Children's Museum

• Creating a space that can offer a sensory and explorative environment for Seward's children. The Children's Museum would tap into Seward's tourist industry by being open to traveling families and charging an admission fee. The revenue made during summer months would be used to support the adjunct childcare facility by providing training and continued education support to staff, childcare facility needs, as well as be used to lower the overall cost of childcare to families in the Seward community. There would be a small cafe that would sell food to visitors of the Children's Museum as well as provide space for food preparation to the childcare facility.

The Chosen Initiative was:

Form a group/committee that represents the needs and concerns of care-providers & families with young children, by using marketing tools and public demonstration

• Creating a leadership group to address Seward's Early Childhood Care and Education issues

Due to COVID-19 concerns and the recommendation to limit group gatherings, we are postponing the Kickoff Meeting for the Chosen Initiative. We will send out invites to the event when we are able to reschedule.