We welcomed more than 500 early childhood educators to the Leadership & Early Childhood Conference on Oct. 23-24. The event featured nationally-known keynote speakers, dozens of educational exhibitors, interactive training sessions and gave attendees the opportunity to connect with their peers.
Articles under Business Services
Child Care Program Budget Operations: The Iron Triangle
Child care budgets often focus on money coming in (revenue/tuition collected) and money going out (expenses). But in child care, there are two other important pieces: Full enrollment and full fee collection.
In early childhood education, we refer to full enrollment, full fee collection and revenue cover per child as the “Iron Triangle.” Let’s explore what that means and how it can help with your program’s budget.
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4C for Children Announces Leadership Promotions
4C for Children is pleased to announce the promotions of two longtime early childhood leaders: Andrew Brzezinski to Senior Strategic Director of Quality Programs and Briana Jones-Hardy to Strategic Director of Business Services & Outreach.
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Get Active This Summer With These Activities
Summer vacation is meant to be carefree — a break from the structure and routine of the school year for children. For families, however, it can often feel more chaotic than relaxing. While planning fun summer activities may seem simple, many busy families struggle to fit daily exercise and outdoor play into an already packed schedule.
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Attend Super Saturday & Earn 4 OA hours
We’re counting down the days until the deadline for child care providers to earn their Ohio Approved Professional Development (PD) hours. All Step Up To Quality (SUTQ)-rated program staff are required to complete at least 10 hours of training.
Don’t stress about making the grade! We are hosting a Super Saturday Training Event that will allow you and/or your team to earn four hours of Ohio Approved training online.
2026 Licensing Rule Revision Training Sessions & Resources
The Department of Children & Youth (DCY) is making licensing rule changes to reduce the administrative burden, modernize and clarify rules and add more flexibility for child care providers. These revisions take effect July 1, 2026. DCY has also created a field guide to help you better understand rules and how to implement them.
Get more details of the planned changes here.
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Child Care Is a Workforce Issue and Ohio Employers Already Have a Local Partner
Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) organizations like 4C for Children serve the business community by providing free, accurate, human support to help employees find reliable child care.
Across Ohio, the child care crisis shows up in every community. Fortunately, so does your local CCR&R.
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Family-Friendly Earth Day Activities
Earth Day is more than just a date on the calendar. It is a great chance for the entire family to learn to care for the planet and protect the world they live in. Teaching children how to care for the environment can be fun, hands-on and a great way to bond as a family.
Here is a list of simple and meaningful activities you can do together to celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and all year long.
Sow Seeds of Fun, Education and Nutrition With a Garden
Spring is on its way! Take advantage of more time outside with your child by starting a garden. Vegetable gardening is a great way to introduce many concepts like biology, ecology, botany, math and so much more. Plus, the process allows your child to see where food comes from. If you have a picky eater, this is also a great way to get them interested in eating what they grow.
Whether you have a spacious area to plant rows of fruits and vegetables or you’re working with a few herbs in a pot, here are some tips to get you started.
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