Media Contact: Tess Christensen, Jump Start 4 Kindergarten Coordinator for Carlton County, jumpstart@co.carlton.mn.us
Carlton County Rural Child Care Innovation Program – Community Input Requested
Carlton County has been accepted into the Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP), a community engagement process designed to address the challenges of child care in rural areas through the lens of economic development. This program is led by First Children’s Finance and funded through the MN Department of Human Services. Additional local partners include the United Way of Carlton County, Carlton County, Fond du Lac Reservation, Cloquet Community Development, Child Care Aware, Northland Foundation, Carlton County Dept. of Economic Development, Cloquet Memorial Hospital.
The RCCIP guides communities in developing solutions that address their unique needs. Access to quality child care in the early years helps to prepare children for kindergarten and success in school. It’s essential to working families, to employers in recruiting and retaining employees and to growing rural communities. The purpose of RCCIP is to support existing early care and education businesses and to increase the supply of high quality affordable child care. Part of this process involves gathering information about the current child care climate in Carlton County and the needs of county residents. Representatives from this county and Fond du Lac Reservation are working together to help find solutions to address the child care shortage in the area and are inviting anyone interested in the subject to help contribute to find local solutions.
Carlton County employers, residents utilizing child care, and child care providers of all types are encouraged to complete a brief online survey via the following links to gather valuable feedback:
Child Care center survey : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CV6K26V
Surveys must be completed by January 3, 2020.
Additionally, please mark your calendars for the following local community engagement events if you are interested in contributing:
Saturday, January 4, 2019 9:30-11:30 AM - Child Care Provider Brunch
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carlton-county-child-care-provider-appreciation-brunch-tickets-85151840447
Tuesday, January 14 from 6:00-9:00 PM - A Town Hall Community Meeting
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carlton-county-town-hall-tickets-81543999297
To find out more about First Children’s Finance and this program in Carlton County contact Tess Christensen (contact info listed above) or visit https://www.ruralchildcare.org/articles