LarimerThrivebyFive

Join the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County for a special screening of Make a Circle at the Lyric Cinema in Fort Collins. This powerful documentary explores the impact of early childhood education and the importance of community in shaping young lives. 📆 May 14, 2025 – ECE Provider Night (for early childhood educators) 📆 May 15, 2025 – Open to the public ⏰ 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Tickets are free, but an RSVP is required. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about the future of early childhood education. Reserve your tickets at https://lnkd.in/gVVfgzY7

Child care costs are rising nationwide. A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that in over two-thirds of states, child care is now more expensive than college tuition. In 17 states, it even costs more than rent, making it harder for families to afford. Discover what’s driving costs and what can be done from Stateline below.

Child care costs are rising -- fast. Across the U.S., families pay 40% more for child care than a decade ago. In Colorado, costs have surged 51%, making it one of the most expensive states for child care. How is inflation affecting affordability? FinanceBuzz explores the impact -- read more below.

Lawmakers in Colorado have recently introduced a bill aimed at imposing new limits on private equity-backed centers in the state. Many early childhood leaders are concerned that these practices could negatively affect staffing levels and raise tuition costs for families who are already struggling with the high cost of early childhood education. Chalkbeat Colorado provides more details on the bill and its potential impacts below.

Across the country, families are feeling the strain of skyrocketing child care costs. According to the 2025 Cost of Care Report by Care.com, the average family now spends more than 22% of their household income on child care — amounting to approximately 💲 $343 💲 per week for a child under the age of 5. This financial burden is not just affecting household budgets, but also impacting families' ability to work, pursue education, and meet other financial commitments. Explore the full report and learn more about how these rising costs are shaping the economic landscape for families today 👇

Common Sense Institute Colorado recently released a report on the impact of improving access to affordable child care for families in the state. The data reveals a significant gap, with only 2 child care slots available for every 3 children under the age of six—leaving a shortfall of over 88,000 slots. Additionally, nearly 1 in 5 women with children under six are not in the workforce due to child care challenges. Learn more about these findings and explore solutions to transform Colorado's child care system in the full report from Common Sense Institute Colorado below. #childcare #childcaresolutions

Childcare costs are rising across the U.S., putting a strain on families, keeping some parents out of the workforce, and even leading some adults to delay or reconsider having children. Learn more about the state of childcare costs in the U.S. with insights from Pew Research Center below. #childcare #childcarecrisis #childcaresolutions

The 2024 Early Childhood Workforce Index reveals that early childhood educators earn an average of $13.07 per hour, placing them in the bottom 3 percent of all workers nationwide. Explore the ongoing challenges in the early childhood sector and why it's critical to invest in the early care and education workforce now from EdSurge below.

Over the past five years, the number of states with registered apprenticeship programs in early childhood education has soared from around 12 to 35. This growth stems from increased federal funding and a heightened awareness of the critical challenges facing the early care and education sector. Discover more about apprenticeship program criteria and their positive impact on early childhood education from EdSurge.

The inaugural Northern Colorado Child Care Innovation Summit, hosted by the early childhood councils of Boulder, Larimer, and Weld counties, gathered over 200 participants, including Colorado Department of Early Childhood Director Lisa Roy, family policy analyst and child care advocate Elliot Haspel, and Early Childhood Council of Larimer County CEO Christina N. Taylor, MPH. The event focused on addressing the ongoing child care crisis and exploring collaborative solutions to improve accessibility and affordability for families in Colorado. Learn more about the summit from Longmont Times-Call below.