Official Says More Action Needed in Early Childhood Reform

October 18, 2024

Original coverage in the Southern Illinoisian by Paul Wilcoxen.

Janice Crow, the Birth to Five Illinois Regional Council Manager for Region 20, says the group has made significant strides since its inception three years ago. However, as she told the members Thursday at the Harrisburg City Council meeting, more needs to be done.

She attended Thursday’s Harrisburg City Council meeting to update them on the efforts to reshape early childhood education and care in Southern Illinois.

“Our goal is to redesign the early childhood education and care system, with families at the center of the work we do,” Crow said. “We’re amplifying the voices of families, engaging local stakeholders, and taking a community-driven approach to the changes that need to be made.”

Region 20 encompasses the counties of Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Wabash, Wayne, and White. Crow emphasized that the work in these areas is vital to improving services for children under eight and highlighted the organization’s efforts, starting with the release of its first major report, the Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessment, in June of last year.

She said the study highlighted two main priorities for Region 20.

“[One of] the big challenges we found was that when families move to our area, they often don’t know what services are available for early childhood education and care,” Crow said. “This includes everything from Head Start and licensed centers to home care and preschools.”

This report examined the state of early childhood services in the region, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The findings informed an action plan published in May of this year.

Crow told the council to address this issue; Birth to Five Illinois collaborated with the Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families to create postcards with QR codes that direct users to the coalition’s website.

“This site offers families a comprehensive guide to the services available in our region,” Crow said. She said the goal is to place these postcards in areas with high-traffic visitors, such as the library, banks, restaurants and city hall.

Mental health is also an area Crow told the council needs addressing.

“We’re also working to include more mental and behavioral health resources on the site, which is another critical area of need,” Crow said.

Crow and her team examined the data and reached a startling conclusion. She said the need for counselors in every school and transportation to services are huge barriers for many families.

“It was clear that we simply don’t have enough mental health resources, especially for young children,” Crow said.