A First Timers Experience at the Colorado State Capitol

by Jaimi Flores | Jan 12, 2024 | Policy, Uncategorized

House of Representatives during opening session, 1/10/2024

A First Timers Experience at the Colorado State Capitol

By Leslie Sarabia Vasquez/Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Exploring the Colorado Capitol

I began my journey with Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition in December of 2023 as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Although I have only been with CSPC for little over a month, I have had great opportunities to learn more about what we do for the community and why we do it. On Wednesday, January 10^th, I was able to join my fellow CSPC colleagues at the Colorado Capitol for the first day of the legislative session 2024. When I was first given this task of shadowing my colleagues, I had no idea what the legislative session was, and I had never been to the Colorado Capitol, even though I have only lived 20 minutes away my entire life. Many people, just like me, have never been to the Colorado Capitol and have a hard time understanding everything that happens within those walls. Visting the Colorado Capitol for the very first time can be scary, and I should know because that is how I felt, but that shouldn’t stop you from going and learning about what happens at the Colorado Capitol.

I always assumed that I had no reason to be there and that it wouldn’t benefit me in any way. On Wednesday, January 10^th, all my opinions about Colorado’s government changed drastically. it is a ginormous building, filled with so many important people including you, a lot of history and beautiful artwork. When I arrived to the Capitol, I had to go through security to make sure I didn’t have any weapons. I saw all these people running around, trying to get to their offices, or to get a table and work. Since I went on a day that was very important, Opening Day, there were so many people, and it was interesting to see how many people wanted to be a part of the first day of the legislative session. The legislative session is open to anyone and if you haven’t been to one in person, I would encourage you to go.

From right, Colorado’s capitol dome. CSPC team: Natalia Alvarez, Marina Cruz, Angelica Prisciliano, Claudia Sanchez, Laura Peniche, Leslie Sarabia. View of inside the capitol.

Discovering the Power of Civic Engagement

There are many procedures, rules and ceremony that make it hard to follow, especially if you are new to policy making. The session opened with calling the names of all the Representatives of the House to mark attendance. From there, it was hard to keep up, they began with voting on specific items and since I had no idea what these were, it was difficult to understand. This difficulty might have stemmed from the fact that I have not been as present as I need to in the policy department and that’s a change that I need to make. By figuring out a point to start to understand policy and all its factors, I can begin to not only help my team but also to help myself grow personally and professionally. It all starts with asking questions.

My fellow colleague, Angelica Prisciliano, CSPC’s Policy Director, was very helpful in answering my questions regarding what the legislative session is and why it’s important, why we had to be there and why those that are elected to represent us need to see us there.

Making Sense of the Legislative Process

“The Colorado legislative session is the period in which elected policy makers propose, discuss, and vote on proposed changes to the law, also known as bills. Bills are proposed in a variety of topics that impact all Colorado residents. Legislators discuss matters on education, health and safety, labor, environmental issues and more. The legislative process is an important part of how our government functions because it seeks to find agreement and representation of the people of Colorado. There are many ways to make your voice heard in the legislative process like coming down to the Colorado Capitol Building to meet your legislators and asking them to support proposed laws that impact you. No matter where you come from, your beliefs, or immigration status, your voice matters!” – Angelica Prisciliano

Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition (CSPC) strives to be part of a movement which fights for equity in education, helps build that support and empowerment for parents and childcare providers to learn about the system and change it. What I enjoy about working at CSP, is that they don’t just stop at identifying the problem. We work with our community to come up with a solution, they follow through with it and make it happen by coming together with the community and the people who work in policy to help start making positive impacts. After just working with CSPC for a little over a month, it’s clear that the connection between the work of CSPC and policy is a very important factor. Of course, I still have so much to learn about this connection and how it plays out exactly, but this topic area of policy is complex and will take time and patience to understand. Even if you have no idea what is happening half the time, all you need to do is ask questions and try to make connections with those who know about policy. And trust me, this process of learning this is going to be a long process, but in the end, it is worth it if you want to be a part of making a positive impact in your community. All you need is some time and patience because there are a lot of moving parts in this area.

Whether you know a little something about policy or you’re just interested in learning more about it, you can watch the recorded legislative session 2024 that took place on Wednesday January 10^th at Watch Meetings: Colorado Channel

The Power of FFN Providers

by Jaimi Flores | Oct 23, 2023 | Child Care, ECE, FFN, Policy, Uncategorized

The Power of FFN Providers

Unlocking the Potential of Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Providers Through PASO

The formative years of a child’s life are pivotal for their overall development and future success. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) have a profound impact on a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth. While childcare in licensed centers or licensed family childcare homes are valuable options, there exists another, often underestimated group of caregivers who wield tremendous influence: Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers.

FFN providers are individuals who extend childcare services within their homes or social circles for children in their families, in their neighborhoods or for their friends. This compassionate network of caregivers includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, and close family friends. They serve as a lifeline for many families, particularly in underserved communities. Unfortunately, their pivotal role in early childhood education often escapes the notice of policymakers for investment in sustainability or professional development.

Enter the PASO (Provider advancing Student Outcomes) program, a transformative initiative from the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, that recognizes the significance of FFN providers in the early education ecosystem and empowers them to deliver high-quality care.

Empowering FFN Providers

PASO equips FFN providers with the training and resources necessary to offer developmentally appropriate care and education to the children under their care. Through PASO, these caregivers gain insights into child development, best practices in early education, and the science of creating enriching environments for young learners.

Promoting Equity

PASO serves as a powerful tool for promoting equity in early childhood education. Many FFN providers cater to children from marginalized communities, largely immigrant and refugee, families living with limited resources, children with disabilities, and in rural communities. By enhancing the quality of care they provide, PASO helps level the playing field for these youngsters.

Supporting Families

FFN providers are often trusted allies for the families they serve, especially for Dual Lanugage Learners (DLL) and children with disabilities. They offer culturally sensitive care that respects each child’s unique background and needs. PASO strengthens this bond by imparting FFN providers with the skills needed to effectively engage with families and connect them to additional community resources when necessary.

Why Policymakers Should Take Notice:

Expanding Access: By investing in training programs like PASO and other effective, community-based FFN training programs, policymakers ensure that FFN providers possess the skills and knowledge to provide outstanding care to children under their care. investing in the sustainability of FFN providers through thriving wages, materials, and access to subsidy programs will secure a strong early childhood network for years to come.

Improving Outcomes: Extensive research indicates that children who receive high-quality early education are more likely to excel in school and life. Supporting FFN providers through programs like PASO can lead to enhanced outcomes for the children they nurture, benefiting society as a whole.

Addressing Disparities: FFN providers often represent the sole affordable childcare option for many families, especially in low-income and rural communities. Recognizing and supporting FFN providers can help alleviate disparities in access to quality early education.

Economic Benefits: High-quality early childhood education has been associated with increased workforce participation and reduced reliance on social services. Policymakers can realize a return on investment by supporting FFN providers and ensuring they deliver quality care.

The PASO program transcends education; it signifies empowerment, equity, and an improved future for children and families. Policymakers wield a pivotal role in acknowledging the significance of FFN providers and supporting programs like PASO that enable these caregivers to offer top-tier early education.

Understanding the influence of FFN providers and the potential advantages of initiatives like PASO, policymakers can make informed decisions that benefit children, families, and society at large. Investing in early childhood education in all settings, including through FFN providers, amounts to an investment in a brighter future for all.

Transforming Child Care

by Jaimi Flores | Oct 14, 2023 | Child Care, FFN, Policy, Uncategorized

Transforming Child Care:

The Power of Systemic Change

The world of childcare has never been more critical and complex than it is today. It’s an essential service that millions of lives rely on, daily, from parents and caregivers to the little ones who depend on it for their early development, and employers who rely on a reliable workforce. Amidst all of the challenges our communities are facing, locally, nationally and even internationally, its easy to put this essential service on the back burner forgetting that nothing else gets the attention it needs when our professionals, our teachers, our doctors, our pilots, service sector employees and more are distracted with child care needs. It’s the cornerstone of a prosperous society. In this blog post, we’ll explore the profound impact of systemic change in child care and how it can shape a brighter future for us all.

The Current Child Care Landscape:

Before diving into the transformational journey, let’s first understand the lay of the land. Child care in the United States is at a crossroads. Families need child care to work, to support their child’s development, and to ensure their own financial stability. However, the existing childcare system is riddled with challenges, such as limited access, affordability issues, and real and percieved disparities in quality.

The Role of FFN Providers:

One significant facet of child care is Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care. These caregivers, often unsung heroes, play a critical role in supporting families, especially in communities with limited access to licensed care options. Their services are invaluable, providing trust, cultural relevance, and flexibility that many families require. These providers often fill the gap that exists in licensed care when families work non-traditional hours, or over the weekends.

Care in all settings it occurs must be resourced and supported. Child care is a system that the public relies on, and there for must become a public good. While we have been working diligently in supporting and uplifting a childcare sytem that meets the needs of our diverse and vibrant communities, we have a long way to go. Below we will highlight some of the successes we have achieved and share some of the areas where we still need improvements.

Systemic change is a multi-pronged approach to changing a system that works for some while leaving others behind. We must approach change as policymakers, government agencies, and community-based organizations through education, organizing, and policy led by those directly impacted, the FFN providers. We have demonstrated through the last 20 years that FFN providers want the absolute best for the children in their care.

We have been able to demonstrate as an organization by having trained over 3,500 FFN providers through our evidence-based FFN training program. By educating FFN providers on how to be high-quality child care providers that can provide both a safe and nurturing environment, children are better prepared to enter kindergarten. Through this work, we recognize that there is a desire among FFN providers to be connected to each other. Serving as an FFN provider can be an isolating profession. The Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition created an online networking space for FFN providers who complete the PASO program to stay connected, receive, and share resources. But this is not enough. There are thousands of FFN providers out there who are not connected. Thanks to the vision of FFN providers and organizations that serve FFN providers, we are launching the first FFN Hub to serve as a space for all FFN providers. This hub, generously sponsored by the City and County of Denver, will serve as a pilot that will hopefully prove successful and encourage other counties across the state to invest in.

Colorado’s policymakers have been hard at work passing policy in Colorado to strengthen our child care sector. These policies have streamlined zoning regulations for licensed childcare homes across the state, provided emergency sustainability dollars to licensed facilities, and have even created an entire state department to serve the childcare ecosystem. Policy in relation to FFN care has been to regulate the number of children in the care of providers from what used to only be 2 children to four children, and to require FFN providers to inform families that they are not licensed. While we firmly believe in transparency, we also believe that this further stigmatizes FFN providers. As we have already covered, FFN providers care for more than 60% of the children in Colorado and make up over 50% of providers in Colorado.

In 2022, thanks to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, Colorado for the first time ever chose to invest in the professional development of FFN providers instead of the continued stigmatization. Colorado policymakers voted on a $100 million investment in early childhood in SB22-213 and of that, $7.5 million was dedicated to supporting FFN care. This included the creation of an FFN coordinator at the state level, the creation of an advisory council, and grant dollars to FFN training organizations to support providers in their professional development and in materials and early learning supports. This is a huge milestone in the acceptance of Colorado’s true mixed delivery system, which is largely FFN care. Unfortunately, this FFN program, embedded in the new Colorado Department of Early Childhood, is only temporary as it was set up as a grant program funded through the ARPA dollars that expire in 2026. It is imperative that the state makes this program permanent as we know that not only will the need for FFN care continue, but it will also increase with the federal child care cliff.

When policymakers are deciding on investments in the child care sector, they must include investments in FFN care as well to ensure that the 60% of children who are in the care of these motivated, loving providers are receiving high-quality care as well.