Letter to the Editor

Child care is what makes work, well, work. Without it, Maryland’s children, families, employers, and our economy, would all crumble. But there is a crisis facing child care that has earned both national and local attention (Cecil County identified as one of Maryland’s three ‘Child Care Deserts’, Cecil Whig). In fact, last month the White House acknowledged the crisis by issuing an executive directive aimed at improving access to and the quality of child care in the United States. While we appreciate the spotlight and the important steps that have been taken so far, more help is needed.

Child care has been struggling for a long time. Over the past decade, family child care businesses have been closing disproportionately to the center/group programs in the same communities. COVID-19 only exacerbated this crisis. Innovative approaches to recruit and retain high quality family child care programs are essential to sustaining the economies of Cecil County, Maryland, and the U.S.

One proven solution is Growing Opportunities for Family Child Care (GOFCC), which was developed by the Maryland Child Care Resource Network. Through Maryland Rebuilds, a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) grant opportunity designed to support the state’s child care system, Abilities Network has been awarded a funds to provide a similar program in Cecil County. The Rebuilding Family Child Care (RFCC) provides intense and targeted training, coaching, and resources to support entrepreneurs in opening a family child care business. RFCC guides potential providers through the Maryland state licensing process while supporting them in building a strong business foundation and developing a high-quality child care program that meets state and national quality standards. The best part is that participation is free.

The Cecil County Child Care Resource Center is committed to working with existing and potential early childhood educators to help them prosper. When these businesses thrive, parents can go to work, and the entire community benefits from a stronger and more reliable workforce. The real benefit though is seen when our children who attend these programs grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive citizens who are ready to succeed. Let’s continue to innovate and work together to come up with solutions to get Cecil County off of the list of child care deserts. Our communities and our children can’t wait.

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-Sara Foura, M.Ed.

Project ACT (All Children Together)

Child Care Resource Centers of Baltimore, Harford and Cecil Counties