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Children, families, and early educators cannot wait any longer. Significant, dedicated funding is needed to stabilize the child care sector and to ensure that families receive needed supports like home visiting and services for young children with special needs. As seasons change and COVID-19 cases continue to surge, we need to ensure that children, families, providers, and their communities have the supports they need and to ensure those services can continue in the future. Urgent action is needed by Congress to pass a federal relief bill with dedicated early childhood funding now.
The CARES Act passed by Congress in the spring provided much needed relief to Illinois families and child care providers. In the early months of the pandemic, Illinois used these funds to reduce the cost of child care for the children of frontline and essential workers and increased payment rates to providers serving those families to help defray the cost of needed health and safety supplies. These funds have since allowed Illinois to stabilize child care providers by filling the funding gap created by reduced enrollment and attendance. These Child Care Restoration Grants are set to expire soon, and additional federal funds are urgently needed to extend them.
Join Start Early and other advocates to call on Congress to prioritize passing a COVID relief package that includes at least $50B in dedicated funding for child care, as well as additional funding for home visiting and services for young children with special needs. Children, families, and early educators cannot wait any longer. There are three ways to take action:
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Email your member of Congress and let them know that early childhood relief is needed now.
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Forward this email to a friend, neighbor, or partner, whether in Illinois or other states.
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Participate in social media actions! Tweet your congressman then check out the social media toolkit compiled by National advocates.
Start Early’s Illinois Policy Team will be monitoring the situation closely. For the most up to date information, follow us on twitter
@EarlyEdIL
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