Articles under Providers

Survey Results Show Little Change in Child Care Landscape

April 21, 2023

The data collected from a February 2023 4C for Children survey of local child care program administrators shows little change in the local child care landscape from similar data collected by 4C in 2021. Classrooms are still shuttered and a staffing shortage continues. These outages are resulting in more than 4,000 infant, toddler, preschool and school-age children in Southwest Ohio and the Miami Valley combined who can’t access quality early learning.

Child Care Issues are Impacting Businesses

April 11, 2023

A woman works on a laptop while talking on the phone at a kitchen table, looking concerned. Two children sit nearby, one drawing and the other looking at her. Papers and a calculator are on the table.

Black working mother communicating over cell phone while reading an e-mail on laptop at home.

The U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey reported in August 2022 that nearly 870,000 women have left jobs to care for one or more child under 5.

In a recent blog post featured on the Workforce Innovation Center, 4C for Children president/CEO Vanessa Freytag shares current child care trends like this and how these trends are impacting local businesses.

Parenting Hot Topic: Embrace Earth Day in Ohio

March 31, 2023

Young child with blonde hair, wearing a red shirt and beige overalls, sits smiling inside a cardboard box on green grass outdoors.

Children dig it! Earth Day, tabbed this year on April 22, is an opportunity to celebrate our planet and learn about ways to protect it. You and your family can celebrate Earth Day by diving into nature, learning about the Earth’s importance and discovering ways to conserve it.

Here are some simple tips to help protect our natural world:

Supporting Families, Recruiting Child Care Providers

March 20, 2023

Finding an open child care seat is a struggle for local families. And finding qualified staff for child care programs in order to expand capacity is a struggle for local child care providers. When combined, these struggles have created a child care crisis in this region. 4C for Children in taking action by launching the unique Child Care Careers Program.

Recently, Local 12 News highlighted 4C for Children’s new program to rebuild the workforce in the community. In doing so, families and parents like first-time mother Roxana Holland will find it easier to find child care for children.

Parenting Hot Topic: Talk About Teeth

January 30, 2023

February is for flossing—not the dance move but the dental hygiene activity! This month is National Children’s Dental Health month.

Poor dental health can lead to pain and infection that may cause problems when eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss school more and receive lower grades compared to other children.

The good news is cavities are preventable! Daily dental hygiene routines at home and regular visits to a dentist can help. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), parents can support young children by developing good dental habits. Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Talk About Teeth »

Parenting Hot Topic: Managing Parental Stress

December 5, 2022

Stress is an expected part of life as a parent. Parenting comes with a high level of stress and it’s not always possible to be calm and stress-free around your children. As parental stress builds up, it can start to affect how you interact with your child and how they feel. Learning to relieve parental stress can give you the patience, energy and perspective to be the parent you want to be.

Q&A With the Conference Keynote Speakers

November 29, 2022

More than 450 child care providers attended the 4C for Children Leadership and Early Education Conference in October and were inspired and motivated by keynote speakers Maryum Ali and Dan St. Romain. The speakers shared stories and tips about social-emotional well-being and positive ways to assess children’s developmental needs.

Find out more about our next conference by signing up for our provider bi-monthly emails.

4C for Children to Recognize 50 Honorees

August 10, 2022

Local advocates to be celebrated at 4C for Children 50th Anniversary Champions Gala, Presented by PNC Bank

CINCINNATI, Aug. 10, 2022 – 4C for Children will honor its retired CEO, Sallie Westheimer, during the organization’s Champions Gala. The event, which is presented by PNC Bank, takes place Oct. 8 at Music Hall.

The gala will celebrate 4C for Children’s 50th anniversary serving Southwest Ohio and the Miami Valley as a premier resource for high-quality early education and care for the youngest children in our community.

Stabilization Grants: The Latest Updates

August 8, 2022

new update Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) supports the recovery and stabilization of child care providers across the nation. In Ohio, this money is now available to child care programs in the form of Stabilization Grants. Since these funds are being distributed through grants that means the money does not need to be paid back if it is used according to the guidelines.

All ODJFS licensed programs meeting the Phase 3 qualifications are eligible to receive these funds. A child care program doesn’t need to be SUTQ-rated or provide care for families using publicly funded child care to apply for these Stabilization Grants. Payment timelines are still estimated to be 4-6 weeks from the application approval date.