Facts About Early Care in Connecticut |
Legislative Collaborative for Early Care & Education | Early Care and Early Education Division Web links

The CAHS Early Care and Early Education Program Area is a statewide initiative designed to increase access to affordable, quality Early Care in Connecticut. We place special emphasis on the needs of low- and moderate-income families.

To achieve its goals, the Early Care and Early Education Program Area is engaged in a wide range of activities. For example:

• We conduct public education and technical assistance activities. We maintain a clearinghouse on Early Care and related issues and provide technical assistance to individuals and organizations seeking to become more involved in promoting quality Early Care.
  
• We conduct research. In November 1990, CAHS published Caring for the Children, the first comprehensive analysis of Connecticut's Early Care system. The information gathered for this book continues to serve as the basis for policy initiatives that we develop and promote.
  
• We are conducting an initiative focusing specifically on issues of quality in early education. As one aspect of the project, we are working to ensure that appropriate linkages are made between the early childhood and primary education communities to promote a continuum of learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for children.
  
• We are involved in supporting school readiness initiatives as well as local efforts to increase communication between preschool Early Care providers and public school teachers in order to help children make the transition into kindergarten and then the primary grades.
  
• We work to ensure that laws and regulations are implemented in a manner that will best meet the needs of families. For example, we are extensively involved in ensuring appropriate implementation of recent federal Early Care legislation which brought over $15 million to Connecticut in its first three years. Division staff have served on the Executive Committee of the Early Care and Development Block Grant and have provided in-depth analyses of the legislation to Committee members so that planning required by the legislation takes place in an informed manner.
  
• We participate in various statewide and local coalitions working to improve the Early Care system, thereby serving as a link among groups and individuals.
  
• Through ongoing activities and initiatives such as these, we will help ensure that all families in need of child care have access to the quality, affordable services they deserve.