OVERVIEW-ANNUAL REPORT

 

 

 

The Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education has a vision that all children have the opportunity to participate in high quality early care and education settings.  The demand for child care is growing at a rapid rate as more women and young children enter the workforce, both by necessity and choice.  At the same time researchers have discovered more about how learning begins at birth and that very young children need stimulating interaction with responsive attentive caregivers in order to make the neural connections that are critical to success throughout life.

 

 

In the spring of 2000, the Division held public meetings in sixteen separate communities to obtain current information from the local communities.  Three hundred thirteen (313) individuals attended these meetings to voice their concerns about the Arkansas Early Care and Education System.

 

 

Common themes were discussed at each of the meetings.  The top five concerns voiced were:

 

·         Need for funds to serve low-income working families on waiting list.

·         Increase provider reimbursement rates for voucher child care.

·         Provider incentives to increase the availability of Quality Approved child care programs.

·         Cost of child care for working parents.

·         Wage enhancement tied to professional development.

 

 

In February of 2000, Governor Mike Huckabee established the Arkansas Corporate Champions for Children Initiative.    The group was commissioned with the charge to examine the current processes that serve as guidelines for child care in the state; to study, plan and rework procedures so burdensome regulations might be lifted; recommend tax credits for parents and employers and make recommendations to ensure parents confidence of their child’s safety and development during their early years. A report from this Commission was delivered to the Governor on August 29, 2000.

 

 

Recommendations centered around:

 

·         Securing stable funding for early care and education with an emphasis on affordability, availability and quality.

·         Expansion of the current statuses on tax credits/incentives for employers to include parents and providers of child care services.

·         Establish the “Campaign for Quality Early Care and Education Foundation” as a unique public-private partnership to increase quality care.

·         Develop a public awareness campaign to encourage employer participation in early care and work-like initiatives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:  Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2000

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