April 6 | Early Care and Education Digest

Rebeca ZunigaAdvocacy, Community

News

Still needed:  Donations and volunteer support are needed for those displaced by the floods. 

Help those in immediate need through the following Storm Relief Donations

Debris Removal handouts are available for residents to follow when cleaning out their property.

For Educators

  • Calling all Monterey County licensed family child care educators and centers! Quality Matters Monterey has released the 2023-24 application for new Quality Matters sites. Join a community of ECE professionals, receive coaching, technical assistance, stipends, and resources to support your professional growth. Learn more about Quality Matters and watch this video for highlights.
  • Do you know someone who is thinking about providing care for children? Monterey County is in need of providers who are thinking of starting a family child care home. The Nurture virtual training provides support  and technical assistance, which also provides funds to help you start! Contact Laura@brightbeginningsmc.org or 510-996-2361 for more information. 
  •  Family Matters offers tools to help families build awareness of choosing quality early care and education of their choice for a strong start to kindergarten and beyond. Take a look at the resources and training opportunities for families.
  • Need help with your child care business? Cal Coastal Small Business Development Center (SBDC) helps Monterey County individuals who are either starting a business or are existing business owners. Contact them directly for training, confidential, no-fee consulting services. Email sbdc@calcoastal.org or call  (831) 676-2017.
  • Need the latest COVID-19 info for early care and education? The most current information from the California Department of Public Health is here. Quarantine and Isolation guidance covers everyone including child care, schools and businesses.
  • Talk with your parents about healthy nutrition and activity with these easy talking points. Supporting these healthy habits will help children grow and learn!
  • The next monthly open door session with mental health consultants (IECMHC) are available for caregivers with questions, concerns, and challenges about young children. Join them via zoom on  April 19, 6:00pm-7:00pm 
  • Want to improve your computer skills for your child care business? El Pajaro is offering a workshop in Spanish to help you learn Microsoft Office, video conferencing, email, and social media. Virtual Workshop is this Saturday, April 8 from 9:30am-11:30am
  • Professional development opportunities are available for ECE providers at the Monterey County Office of Education’s Early Care and Education Department. Check out their virtual magazine.
  • ECE Community College students: ECE Career Educational Support grants are available for help with tuition & textbooks. The Child Development Training Consortium is offering these funds on a first come first served basis. 

For Families

  • Confused about Preschool, UPK, and TK? Choosing a quality program for your child is one of the  most important decisions a family can make. Learn about early education and child care options for your child at any of the following zoom trainings hosted by MCOE from 6:30pm-7:30pm:
  • Eating healthy foods and being active are important for children of all ages. Share these tip sheets with child care providers and families. 
  • Download the California Meals for Kids mobile app today. The app makes it easy for families and caregivers to find afterschool meal locations. Download the app here. Access WIC nutrition support here. 
  • Need a free health check or immunization for your child? The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program provides crucial services for families, children, and educators in Monterey County. 
  • Summer Camps have fun activities for kids when school is out. Check out the Spring Parent Magazine Summer Camp Guide. 
  • Connect with other moms and their children (0-5) at the Maternal Well-Being play groups. In person and Zoom groups are being offered. Learn more or call Sandra Avina at (831) 796-6118. 
  • Fun activities for you and your family are happening at the Salinas Library. Check out their calendar of events for times and dates. 
  • Looking for child care? Go to Montereycountychildcare.org or Mychildcareplan.org for help finding the right care for your child.

For All

  • Did you lose power for more than 48 hours? The Safety Net Program offers monetary compensation to residential customers who lost power for more than 48 hours and pays $25 to $100 automatically 60 to 120 days after the power outage.
  • Why are physical exams important for children? Physicals can help find and prevent medical, dental, and mental/behavioral health issues before they become urgent. Get free health checks and immunizations at the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program. Check out and post these flyers to learn more. 
  • Monterey County needs businesses that support families, both behind the scenes with strong family policies and in the public eye as a service to families. Ready to apply to become a Bright Beginnings Family Friendly Employer? It’s easy! Learn more and certify your business here. Child Care businesses are encouraged to apply!
  • Are you or others you know interested in starting a child care business? MAOF is recruiting potential family child care homes and is offering free training, marketing, and up to $1,000 to new or expanding child care programs in Monterey County. Learn more or call MAOF at (831) 757-0775.
  • Need to find a COVID-19 testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find a location in the flyers: Free Testing and Free Vaccination sites.

Monterey County Vaccines By the Numbers

Overall, 81.3% of the eligible population in Monterey County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. For more details on COVID health data, visit the Health Departments website here. Stay informed on all things COVID-19 on the Monterey County COVID-19 portal.

COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 Vaccine Information ➡️ click here to learn more…

General COVID-19 & Public Health ➡️ click here to learn more…

Resources & Tools

Financial Relief for Families ➡️ click here to learn more…

All Ages Learning & Development Supports ➡️ click here to learn more…

Resilience & Mental Health Resources ➡️ click here to learn more…

Child Care & Education Quality & Business Tools ➡️ click here to learn more…

Policy & Advocacy ➡️ click here to learn more…

Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education during and post-pandemic. For more information about this effort and the coalition behind it, please visit our web hub here. 

News and resources are shared below. Previous Weekly Digests are available here. 

If you have information, flyers, or events you would like to share in this publication, please contact or send information to: Laura@BrightBeginningsMC.org. 

Want more information from Bright Beginnings? Stay up-to-date and join the mailing list for the BB Weekly Recovery Coalition Digest, Maternal Mental Health Task Force, and the BB Quarterly Update.

It Takes a Coalition

The emergency response providing coordinated solutions for child care and education is led by a coalition of early childhood champions, united under the Bright Beginnings Strategic Framework to better support all young children and their families, to prepare every child for life and school. This coalition is ever-growing:

4th Monterey County Supervisorial District
30th California Assembly District
Building Healthy Communities
CAPSLO
Carmel Unified School District
Child Care Planning Council
Child Development Centers and Continuing Development Incorporated
Children’s Council
Early Development Services
First 5 Monterey County
Go Kids, Inc.
Health Department
MAOF Resource & Referral & Alternative Payment Program
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Natividad Medical Center
North Monterey County Unified School District
Office of Education – Early Learning Program
Office of Education – Educational Services
Public Health Office
Quality Matters Monterey County
Salinas City Elementary School District
Social Services – Child Abuse Prevention Council
United Farmworkers Foundation
United Way of Monterey County
YMCA

A special thanks to the coordinating team and major funders: Bright Beginnings Backbone, Child Care Planning Council, First 5 Monterey County, MAOF Resource & Referral, Quality Matters, and the United Way of Monterey County.

For more information, please contact sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.