Spreading the Word as We Strive for Equity
Scroll down to read all Birth to Five Illinois news coverage, or you can click to read the coverage from your Region.
PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Publishes Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessments
Birth to Five Illinois has published 39 Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessments, now available to both local communities and state leaders. The assessments reflect the strengths and needs in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) service landscape at the regional level.
Learn More about Early Childhood Needs in DeKalb County at Upcoming Town Hall
Region 16 staff discusses the child care crisis and what DeKalb County is doing to collect community voice and share it with state-level decision makers.
94.9 WDKB Radio Interview with Gretchen Sprinkle
Listen to an interview with Gretchen Sprinkle, the new Regional Council Manager for Region 16 (DeKalb County)!
Birth to Five Illinois - WTAX News Interview
Listen to an interview with Ashley Earles, Birth to Five Illinois Region 51 Council Manager!
A Day Without Child Care - 94.9 WDKB Radio Interview
Today is a special advocacy day called “A Day Without Child Care.” What is the impact on the community and economy if child care weren’t available?
How to Find Child Care in Bloomington-Normal
Bloomington-Normal has seen a lot of transplants move to town in recent years. And for those with little kids, the hunt for child care can be as important as finding a home or a job.
Free Developmental Check-ups for Kids in Champaign County
Free developmental check-ups throughout Champaign County for children ages birth to five during the month of April!
Senate Early Childhood Education Committee Meeting
Birth to Five Illinois provided in-person testimony in Springfield at the newly formed Senate Early Childhood Committee meeting. Liz Gibson, Region 32, discussed the importance of a mixed delivery system in eliminating preschool deserts.
Child Care Press Conference
In Springfield, members of our Birth to Five Illinois: Region 51 Action Council and Family Council shared their perspectives on the need for accessible, affordable early childhood programs for their families and for children.
Illinois Just Made Big Early Childhood Investments. But Services Like Daycare and Preschool are Nearly Impossible for Many Families to Access.
We know this from neuroscience and from brain development that the better start we can give children, the better the outcomes for children. For many in early childhood, it’s refreshing to see the state begin to take it seriously.
Early Childhood Grant Aims to Seamlessly Pair Families with Resources
ROE26 is using what officials call a “dream come true” grant to make connecting in-need families to social services more efficiently.
Birth to Five Illinois Hopes to Amplify Community Voices in Child Services
A new infrastructure is trying to address Illinois' early childhood needs at the local level. The infrastructure is designed to bring community, family and provider voices to the forefront of both local and state policy decisions.
Planning Grants Coverage
The Birth to Five Illinois Planning Grants are meant to fund the establishment of new Early Childhood Collaborations in areas of the State that do not currently have them. Through these grants, we hope to encourage a systems-level approach to improving Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).
PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Awards $575,000 in Planning Grants
The Planning Grants will reach 9 groups and 22 counties across the State.
New Effort Targets Youngest Residents
“Both Action and Family Councils are busy gathering and analyzing data. After the New Year, we will be hosting focus groups and interviews with families, school officials, businesses, child care providers, state and local officials, and other local stakeholders to gather more information to make Illinois the best state for children and families.”
Birth to Five Illinois Opens New Headquarters
“This community has a great early childhood support system … there’s always room for improvements.”
Buenos Días Aurora Interview
Buenos Días Aurora, the first bilingual podcast in the second-largest city of Illinois, interviewed Alicia Hann and David Quiroz.
Birth To Five Illinois Early Education Initiative Opens Headquarters In Loves Park
An effort is underway in Boone and Winnebago counties to study the strengths and shortcomings of early education here in order to build a more equitable and accessible system.