Our 2020 Annual Report is here and we’ve been taking a closer look at the good work our programs have accomplished. In this post, we’ll look at our Family Support programs. we have that support early childhood professionals. If you want to read more in-depth about our Learning & Development programs, check out the previous post here.

Note – this report covers our 2018-19 fiscal year from July 2018 to June 2019.

If you want to view the digital version, you can access it here. Or contact us and we would be happy to provide a print copy!

Generational Success

In recent years, Colorado began to embrace a “Whole Family” and “Two-Generation Approach” which focuses on supporting young children, parent, and caregiver groups holistically instead of individually. ACECC more formally adopted this approach in 2017 and has since streamlined its programs and services into two domains that align with the Early Childhood Colorado Framework, Learning and Development and Family Support.

The Two-Generation Approach, or 2Gen, builds family well-being by intentionally serving the whole family. When we focus on generational success, we can help ensure that positive outcomes not only happen now, but make a difference long term. A 2Gen approach helps children through childcare programs and home visiting, while also helping caregivers through parent education, resource referrals and more. Why 2Gen? To see positive outcomes pass from generation to generation.

Want to learn more about this Two-Generation Approach? This approach was adopted by Arapahoe County Department of Human Services and developed by The Aspen Institute.

Report Highlights

Modern-day families are more likely to be single-parent households, face increased pressure to balance work with raising their kids, and often struggle finding childcare that’s both affordable and high quality. These are problems for every family, regardless of income level.

That’s why we offer parenting classes, in-home visitation programs, child care navigation services, and coaching to improve the quality of early childhood programs and environments. In 2019, we grew our quality support for early childhood professionals, supporting more sites with more hours of coaching than before.

Family Support

Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council offers a variety of family support programs that connect and empower families with the knowledge and strategies they need. Our ongoing resources and support help ensure the well-being, health, and development of kids, families, and communities in Arapahoe County.

Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers is a home visitation program for families in Arapahoe County with children birth to kindergarten who meet specific eligibility requirements. Parents as Teachers matches parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years of life.

SafeCare Colorado®

Our SafeCare program reaches families at high risk of child abuse and neglect. Staff meet one-on-one with parents and caregivers of young children for several weeks and equip them with the skills and tools they need to make their home safer, better understand their children’s health needs, and have more positive interactions with their kids.

Child Care Navigator

With over 400 different childcare providers in the Arapahoe County area alone, it can be an overwhelming process for families to search for the right provider. Our Child Care Navigator matches families with a provider that meets their unique needs, finding childcare based on preschool curriculum, before and after school care, specific curriculum-based care, special needs, CCCAP availability, and proximity to work or home.

Promoting Safe & Stable Families (PSSF)

Funded through the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, our Promoting Safe & Stable Families initiative provides advocacy, resources, and education for families. Our staff navigators also connect families in need with community resources. Through PSSF, we also offer The Incredible Years, a free, 14-week parent group where parents can learn strategies and skills known to promote children’s social competence and reduce behavior problems.

Bridging Gaps Throughout the Community

In today’s fast-paced world, parents and caregivers face more pressure than ever. One in four kids today live with one parent, while more than half of all parents with young kids say that it’s hard to find childcare that’s both affordable and high quality. It’s obvious that single-parent households will need access to child are so that they can participate in the workforce, but more and more two-parent households need access as well. In Colorado, 63% of kids under age 6 have all available parents in the workforce.

Meanwhile, we have a childcare system that is still difficult to navigate, especially affordable care. The Bell Policy Center estimated in 2018 that middle class Colorado families with two parents in the workforce would still spend about 20% of their yearly income on childcare.

Our Child Care Navigator helps families navigate this maze of childcare.

The navigator answers questions about financial assistance like the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) and educates the community about the quality and availability of care. This service is free, confidential, and closely integrated with the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, so families already seeking assistance are more likely to get connected with childcare. In 2019, our navigator made 520 referrals to community and childcare resources.

Interestingly, 51% of referrals were to families also seeking help through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF is a time limited program designed to help families achieve self-sufficiency.

Also, 28% of referrals were to families with a recent kinship placement or were seeking help specifically with Colorado’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP).

This means that the vast majority of families who received help through this service were low-income or had recently taken on care of additional children through kinship placement.

Our goal with all family support programs is to share knowledge and empower families so that parents and kids are valued, healthy, and thriving. Often, that means connecting parents to a broader network of resources. Our Parents as Teachers home visitation program helps detect developmental delays and increase parent knowledge, but staff can also connect families with community resources.

This post is Part Two of an in-depth look at our 2020 Annual Report. Read about our Learning & Development programs in Part One.

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Making a Difference

What happens in early childhood deeply impacts a child’s future physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. And the reality is that donations make a huge difference in our work.

By supporting Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council, you are helping to ensure that Arapahoe County families have access to high quality early learning and support and that the early childhood professionals who work with our families have the training and education needed to excel.

We’re also a qualifying agency for the Colorado Child Care Contribution tax credit, meaning that you can claim an income tax credit of 50% tax credit when you donate! Learn more about how to make use of this today.