Better Beginnings 3
Introduction & Table of Contents Child care is a critical part of the quality of life in Sonoma County. The community that takes the best care of its babies and youngest learners will reap the most benefits at many levels of its shared community life. Where child care goes lacking, many other social, health and economic factors can be negatively impacted as well. Every child deserves the best beginning that a family and community can provide. This nurturing cycle must begin with prenatal checkups, well-baby clinics and new parent education programs. Sonoma County has some of all of these — but we do not have nearly enough. We know that, by the time they are 5 years old, babies form over 90% of the brain connections that determine how they talk, think and grow. This is what we mean by “better beginnings.” Families and working parents need affordable and accessible child care, beginning with infant care and continuing with preschool and after-school programs almost until high school. Preschool-aged children benefit greatly from quality early childhood experiences. Working parents and their employers produce economic gains where there are reliable work schedules matched with affordable or subsidized child care programs.
Investing in Sonoma County’s child care infrastructure wins immediate health and economic payoffs and avoids later social costs of social disruption, substance abuse, mental illness, poor scholastic performance and a lifetime of lower economic productivity. Case after case has shown that a child who experiences supportive child care and quality early childhood education is more likely to graduate from college or lead a successful career. Better beginnings is a cause and concern for everyone. In the pyramid of Sonoma County’s social needs, we believe child care should be at the top. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the local child care industry hard, with massive facility closings and lost caregiver jobs. Local, state and federal governments are providing one-time relief funds and the current state and federal administrations are proposing some historical reforms and increased funding for child care, universal kindergarten and increased worker salaries. But these remain promises made and not yet secured. Meanwhile, we urge everyone to make full use of this publication and resource guide to see how better beginnings for our babies mean better beginnings for all of us. — SoCoNews
Table of Contents Community First Credit Union .................................... 2 Introduction and Table of Contents............................ 3 The unmet need for child care.................................... 4 Sponsors...................................................................... 5 Navigating the barriers to child care.......................... 6 Watza Creative Lab...................................................... 7 Bolstering services in Healdsburg.............................. 8 Corazón Healdsburg................................................... 9 SoCoNews................................................................. 10 Lots of program choices, little supply....................... 11 Sonoma County Library............................................. 11 Kids blooming at Little Wildflowers Preschool..... 12-13 First 5 Sonoma County.......................................... 14-15 The youngest years matter the most.................... 16-17 Northern California Public Media......................... 18-19 Seeking solutions for on-site care............................ 20 Les Enfants Baobab.................................................... 21 Laura Kay Tew............................................................. 21 County of Sonoma, Public Health Division............... 22 RCCS helps refer families to resources.................... 23 River to Coast Children’s Services............................ 23 Post-pandemic picture may brighten....................... 24 Sonoma County Office of Education........................ 24 Local Design Company.............................................. 25 Community Resources..........................................26-27
Launching a preschool amid a pandemic Pages 12-13
Helping student parents with care Page 20
