“I had so much fun on Thursday taking the parenting class with my husband & we made some new friends too while we were there. I will definitely keep going back every time.” 

“Such an awesome resource for children and families. Their staff is kind and caring and always make you feel welcomed.” 

“A-M-A-Z-I-N-G STAFF!!!!! Incredible resources! I love this place! There is a free library and playground where you can bring your children. They also have events on certain days!” 

These are just a few of the Google Reviews for the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) in Canton, Ohio, which is a member of Child Care Aware® of America.  

With more than 60 reviews that largely echo the sentiments above, and nearly a 5-star rating, what is the secret to ECRC’s success? Turns out: it’s about providing great client service and support.  

Angela Moses, director of Early Care and Education Services at the Early Childhood Resource Center, shared how she and her staff have worked hard to create a welcoming experience for the families they serve. Here are four tips for child care staff to address a client's concern:  

• Work quickly. When a concern arises, don’t delay. Work quickly to resolve the issue. 

• Seek understanding. Try to get a full 360-degree view of the situation, including the client’s perspective and the staff’s perspective.  

• Provide training. Equip your staff with resources, training and effective communications strategies so they can better support the clients.  

• Take an empathic approach. View the concern from the client’s point of view. This helps the client feel understood and can reduce overall tension and conflict.  

The pandemic has resulted in state and federal policymakers taking notice of the essential role child care plays. Child care has been prioritized as an issue desperately needing support and has been included in each of the three relief packages to date. But relief funds have only provided temporary solutions for the child care system and are just the beginning of what is needed to recover and rebuild after decades of underfunding. Federal policymakers are listening and are in the midst of considering additional funds to sustain child care long-term.

Year after year, CCAoA’s annual research report has found that the price of child care is too high for too many families. The good news is that change may be coming. Earlier this year, President Biden proposed big investments in child care and preschool. This month, Congress has put pen to paper and crafted legislation, called the Build Back Better Act, to make those investments a reality.

StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to record, preserve and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds, and Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) recently partnered on a project to interview child care providers. The providers were asked about their personal journey in the child care field and the impact of COVID-19 on their work and life. 

Each September, we commemorate National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. Ready.gov has announced that this annual event’s theme for 2021 is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”

The COVID-19 pandemic forced rapid changes upon the field of early care and education and dictated a re-examination of how many of its traditional systems and services are offered. Professional development is one such system, particularly traditional one-on-one coaching models. For many years, the norm was face-to-face coaching support, but the pandemic required the field to face a new reality. How do we balance offering this much-needed aspect of professional development while protecting the health and safety of staff and children?