Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council 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.

As an independent nonprofit and one of the largest early childhood councils in Colorado, we’re uniquely positioned to serve as a hub for local partners, providers, caregivers, policymakers, and business leaders. We deliver and coordinate resources to support kids, families, and early childhood professionals. Our main areas of impact are:

Learning & Development

Family Support

Annual Report

When we “connect the dots” between other community organizations, we empower families and foster high quality early childhood services in Arapahoe County. In 2018-2019, we especially worked to grow quality support for early childhood professionals, supporting more sites with more hours of coaching than before.

ACECC Blue House.png — 2,264 home visits with vulnerable families

ACECC Clock.png — 4,237 hours of coaching to Quality Improvement sites

ACECC Blue Building.png — 126 early childhood programs and centers served

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Learning & Development

We all know that the first years of life are an incredibly important time.

90% of critical brain development happens before kids get to kindergarten. This brain development is highly influenced by experiences kids have when they are little. When we support quality in early childhood, we’re encouraging generational success in our community.

In the current system, kids can still lose out on crucial emotional and social growth, which puts them at a disadvantage later in life.

But we know that all kids could benefit from high quality early childhood programs and support. Poor, disadvantaged, or dual-language kids often benefit the most from quality care. Foundational research projects like the Abecedarian, Perry, and Early Training Project show that high quality programs lead to:

Increased school attendance
Less criminal activity
Higher incomes as adults

ACECC Quality Early Childhood Education Matters — Quality Matters

Our learning and development initiatives support early childhood programs and professionals throughout Arapahoe County, giving them tools and support to improve quality of care and grow in their career.

We offer coaching through the Colorado Shines Quality Initiative, workforce development trainings, Expanding Quality in Infant/Toddler Care courses, and ongoing professional development opportunities. When providers have support navigating Colorado Shines, our state’s early childhood rating system, they can improve business practices and focus on giving the best quality care to their kids.

Learning & Development Programs

Quality Improvement

Coaches cover center safety, curriculum, business practices, and more. We also offer directors and staff ongoing training to stay up-to-date on best practices, different rating scales, and local or state policy.

Workforce Development

We offer affordable training for early childhood professionals, including a leadership community for directors, an Annual Quality Forum, and quarterly workshops.

Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care

We offer multiple low cost, interactive EQIT courses each year as part of statewide initiative to improve the quality of care in infant/toddler rooms.

Family Child Care Support

We house and support A Caregiver Network, a network of support for family child care providers and other programs in Arapahoe County.

Scholarship Opportunities

We offer scholarships throughout the year to people who are already working with young children or are interested in the industry.

We believe in the importance of educating our early childhood workforce and providing support on their quality journey.

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Family Support

There’s no perfect training manual for being a parent.

In today’s fast-paced world, parents and caregivers face more pressure than ever. Modern-day families are more likely to be single-parent households, face increased pressure to balance work with their kids, and often struggle finding child care that’s both affordable and high quality. These are problems for every family, regardless of income level.

Our goal is to promote and share knowledge and connect and empower families so that they are valued, healthy, and thriving.

Studies show that children who have access to quality early childhood experiences are more likely to:

do well in school
go to college
earn more money
and own their own homes

Our family support programs help ensure the well-being, health, and development of kids, families, and our entire community in Arapahoe County.

We offer a variety of family support programs that connect and empower families with knowledge and strategies they need to thrive. Our programs include in-home visitation programs, child care referrals, and advocacy and resources for families in need.

Family Support Programs

Child Care Navigator

Finding child care that’s the right fit can be tricky. Our child care navigator helps match families with a local program that meets their needs.

Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers is a home visitation program designed to enhance child development and kindergarten readiness through parent education.

SafeCare

Our SafeCare home visitation program gives parents the skills and tools they need to make their home safer, understand the needs of very young children, and learn how to have more positive, fulfilling interactions.

Promoting Safe & Stable Families

Funded by Arapahoe County Department of Human Resources, our Promoting Safe & Stable Families (PSSF) program provides advocacy, resources, and education for families.

Giggle and Grow

Giggle and Grow is an at-home program for people that are caring for someone else’s kids in their home - this includes everyone from licensed family child care businesses, to the next-door neighbor, nanny, grandparents, or family friends. Get customized activities and hands-on support at no cost.

Our resources and support help ensure the well-being, health, and development of kids and families in Arapahoe County.

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Support Early Childhood — You Can Make a Difference

When you support 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.

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