UIC Policy Brief: Strengthening the Early Learning Workforce
A prerequisite for expanding access to high-quality early childhood care and education
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to share the first in a new series of policy briefs produced by the UIC Collaborative for Young Children and Families addressing critical issues surrounding the early childhood workforce. The interactions that members of the Early Childhood workforce have with the children and families they support represent the most important element of program quality. Yet, our workforce members are underappreciated and undercompensated leading to substantial challenges with recruitment and retention across all types of early childhood programs and services. We must address the resulting staffing crisis and fortunately we know what needs to be done and have successful models from which to build.
The series will describe our current state, identify root causes for how we got here, and highlight the solutions that must be implemented if we are truly to reap the many benefits of high-quality early childhood programs and services.
Please feel free to share widely and be on the lookout for the next issue this summer.
Best,
Cathy and Karen