Community Policy

Early Care and Education is impacted by local, state and federal legislative as well as private philanthropic policy development. Policy areas include social welfare and family support, pre-school through university education, community and economic development, zoning, housing and urban planning, and public health. Every Child Counts monitors public and private policy issues and focuses on related emerging areas.

Examples for 2007 are: planning for universal pre-school and infant-toddler programs, responding to state legislative requests for information and technical assistance, and assisting local and state agencies (including post secondary education) with research on the role and needs of families and ECE programs within policy and legislation.

ECE For All Planning

In 2006, First 5 joined with the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools, the County Child Care Planning Council, and Assemblywoman Wilma Chan, to conduct a year long process to address the early care and education (ECE) needs of children birth to five in Alameda County. A series of public meetings, led by a local community planning firm, brought together hundreds of parents, teachers, providers, health, and education practitioners, and public policy officials (included elected officials) to discuss, debate, and recommend actions for reaching their vision for all children and families. This process resulted in a comprehensive needs assessment and an agreed upon vision and set of priorities for our county's ECE environment. First 5 and the Planning Council will be reviewing and acting on the priorities over the next year.

ECE for All Report- Executive Summary

ECE for All Report - Complete Report