Columbus, OH -- We are excited to see today's announcement from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) announcing $15 million in Infant and Toddler Infrastructure Grants that will allow currently licensed programs to expand, creating more access to early childhood education for families.
We celebrate this unique opportunity to build capacity to care for our very youngest learners and their working parents in communities experiencing the highest disparities in infant mortality rates. As a result of Governor DeWine’s leadership in creating the Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force, families from these communities expressed their overwhelming need for child care so that their babies and toddlers are safe and learning while they are earning. As a result, the Task Force adopted a recommendation to increase access to quality, affordable child care. Children, the parental workforce, employers and the state all suffer from the lack of affordable, quality infant and toddler child care. Ohio’s economy loses an estimated $3.9 billion per year due to infant and toddler child care issues alone.
We are grateful to Governor DeWine for listening and acting on behalf of babies and their families, the Ohio General Assembly for their wisdom in providing funding for this endeavor and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, under Director Kara Wente’s thoughtful and strategic direction, to operationalize this grant program. We look forward to learning the impact of this investment to kids, families and the state.
This quote can be attributed to Shannon Jones, President & CEO, Groundwork Ohio.
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