Our Misson:
Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council (ACECC) is a collaborative promoting high quality programs and services which support a safe, smart, and healthy start for young children and their families in Arapahoe County.
Shared Values:
We are champions for children and families.
Early years are a critical and unique time to ensure optimal development. Children can’t wait.
Families and communities are interdependent: strong families and healthy children create thriving communities.
Every parent needs support at home, at work, and throughout the community from families, friends, neighbors, and community resources and should be full partners in all aspects of the planning and delivery of services and supports for their child and family.
Communities have a shared responsibility to invest in young children and their families.
Collaboration is essential for development and delivery of innovative, sustainable, and effective programs and services.
Children require a well-educated and compensated early care and education work force to ensure quality care and positive outcomes.
Early intervention is effective in addressing the individual needs of children who have different risks, vulnerabilities, and developmental needs.
ECE Professionals need ongoing education and support to succeed in their vocation. Our collaborative is dedicated to ensuring these opportunities.
Every child deserves an opportunity to thrive.
Agencies, programs, and services are effectively responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the populations they serve.
Guiding Principles:
Partners bring resources to the Council to develop collaborative initiatives that optimize the use of resources and opportunities.
Collaborative efforts of the Council stimulate broad and diverse public/ private sector participation in early childhood efforts.
The system of care is community based, with the focus of services/supports, as well as management and decision-making responsibility, resting at the community level.
Partners engage public policy leaders in order to increase community commitment to meet the needs of children and families in Arapahoe County.
Vision:
Working across boundaries to deliver greater services, supports, and outcomes for children and communities.
History:
We’re one of twelve original pilot programs created by state legislation in 1997 that eventually became part of the Colorado early childhood council system. Now, we’re one of the largest early childhood councils in the state of Colorado, offering quality improvement and family support services.
We were created to “connect the dots” between existing early childhood centers and support programs in the community. Our services fall under two branches that align with Colorado’s Early Childhood Framework, Quality Improvement and Family Support & Education.
Our Quality Improvement team works with early childhood centers, programs, and staff to encourage quality care and learning. We offer trainings and one-on-one coaching to support the early childhood ecosystem in our county.
Our Family Support team consists of in-home visitation programs and resource navigators to educate and support families with young kids.
We became the local coordinating organization (LCO) for Arapahoe County to administer Colorado’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program, starting in the fall of 2023.
