THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL OF LARIMER COUNTY
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Mission Statement
We bring the community together to share knowledge and resources, build expertise and work collaboratively to ensure that all young children in Larimer County have the care, support and opportunities necessary to grow, learn and succeed.
About This Cause
The Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (ECCLC) was established in 1997 as one of the 12 original Consolidated Child Care Pilots established by legislation in Colorado to help support and build local early childhood systems. Consolidated Child Care Pilot communities were not initially provided funding, but were granted the ability to waive state rules and regulations that created barriers to providing coordinated, comprehensive, and seamless services to providers, educators, and families. After operating as a community coalition for four years, ECCLC became an independent 501(c)(3) with a governing board in 2003. The local Child Care Resource and Referral Program was integrated into the Council in 2004. In 2006, the Colorado legislature passed HB 1062, which expanded Early Childhood Councils statewide and provided ongoing funding for ECCLC and other local Councils through a partnership between the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Colorado Department of Education. Today, ECCLC works to strengthen the system of services available to young children in our community, including early child care and education, support for families, and physical and mental health services. Work is undertaken by 11 paid staff and driven by community-wide strategic planning with input from Council members who have expertise in early childhood. Together, we envision a future where all children in Larimer County are valued, healthy, and thriving. 2015 – 2020 Goals: Support early care and education providers in consistently implementing quality practices. Increase advocacy for the importance of and investment in early childhood. Strengthen community connections to facilitate families' access to resources, education and services. Provide backbone support for the Leap Project to support children's social emotional development. Our Services: Community Initiatives/Systems Building- ECCLC works to strengthen the system of services available to young children in our community, including early child care and education, support for families, and physical and mental health services. On a regular basis, we convene community partners across the spectrum of early childhood services to share ideas, identify issues, and implement solutions. Some of our community initiatives include the Leap project for social emotional development, KIDS (Kids Initiative for Development Support), and Be Ready, a county-wide school readiness initiative. Quality Support Services- ECCLC works with licensed child-care programs in Larimer County to support and improve quality care for children 0-8 years of age. ECCLC's services include early childhood coaches who work with classroom teachers to strengthen practices, support for engaging in Colorado's Quality Rating Improvement System (Colorado Shines), and funds to purchase needed program resources to support quality goals, such as playground equipment, books, toys, and classroom materials. Professional Development- ECCLC supports Early Care and Education Professionals (child-care center directors, family child-care home providers, and early childhood teachers) through providing education and training opportunities. Research shows a strong correlation between quality care and the education and training of the provider. Our support includes scholarships for early childhood classes, and multiple training opportunities on a wide variety of relevant topics.