Campaign
Voices from the Field
Description
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated challenges facing the early childhood sector, leaving a lasting impact on the recruitment and retention of educators, especially those who teach Georgia’s youngest learners. Additionally, teachers face a new classroom landscape that not only impacts their students, but also their ability to meet their own needs, care for their families, and cultivate their skillsets.
To better understand the experiences of Georgia’s early childhood educators and how to support this crucial workforce, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students conducted a series of focus groups—16 in total—throughout 2022-23 with early childhood educators from a range of settings, including center- and home-based child care, Head Start, and Georgia’s Pre-K. The quotes that follow are from these focus groups.
Timeline
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Campaign
Urge Georgia Lawmakers to Make Critical Investment in Child Care
Description
Decisions are being made RIGHT NOW about the FY 2025 budget. Join us in telling leaders that #GaNeedsChildCare by participating in the #GaNeedsChildCare Tweetstorm THIS Thursday, March 7th from 12-2:00 PM.
Georgia’s children deserve access to high-quality, affordable child care, and families depend on this care so that they can participate in the workforce—but for too many Georgians, it’s out of reach. Our state’s families with young children need our help now.
One way to help address the state’s child care challenges is through meaningfully funding Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program, which provides scholarships that help some working families with low incomes afford child care. Currently, the program serves only an estimated 14% of income-eligible children due to limited funding. Click here for a one-pager to learn more about the need for additional state funding.
Please join us in asking the Georgia General Assembly to include additional state funding for the CAPS Program in the FY2025 budget. It's crucial that our leaders hear from us now, so please reach out even if you've done so previously.
How to Participate in the #GaNeedsChildCare Tweetstorm:
- Log onto Twitter on Thursday, March 21st between 12-2 PM.
- Tweet your experience with the accessibility & affordability of child care or use one of our sample tweets below. Use hashtags #GANeedsChildCare AND #gapol to participate in the conversation!
Other Ways to Take Action:
Timeline
Hashtags
- #GaNeedsChildCare Tweetstorm
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Download
Instagram #1
Georgia child care providers! Legislators need to hear from you about the importance of funding child care! You are the expert—you know firsthand the value of high-quality child care. Urge GA lawmakers to make critical investment in child care TODAY. #GANeedsChildCare #gapol
Specific Time or Duration -
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Instagram #2
It has never been more clear that child care is crucial to many parents’ ability to work. Child care challenges in Georgia lead to at least $1.75 billion in losses in economic activity annually.
Georgia lawmakers: Support our current and future workforce by making a critical investment in child care in the FY24 budget! #GANeedsChildCare #gapolSpecific Time or Duration -
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Instagram #3
Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program, which provides scholarships that help some working families with low incomes afford child care, serves only an estimated 14% of income-eligible children. Urge GA lawmakers to invest in CAPS TODAY! #GANeedsChildCare #gapol
Specific Time or Duration -
Download
Instagram #4
Georgia’s children deserve access to high-quality, affordable #childcare. Join us in urging Georgia’s leaders to make critical investment in child care. #GANeedsChildCare #gapol
Specific Time or Duration -
Download
Instagram #5
Georgia families with young children continue to experience child care challenges that have been compounded by a series of other stressors, including inflation. Urge GA lawmakers to make critical investment in child care TODAY. #GANeedsChildCare #gapol
Specific Time or Duration -
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Instagram #11
Georgia’s children deserve access to high-quality, affordable #childcare. Join us in urging Georgia’s leaders to make critical investment in child care TODAY by using the link in our bio. #GANeedsChildCare #gapol
Specific Time or Duration -
Download
Instagram #7
Child care challenges in Georgia lead to at least $1.75 billion in losses in economic activity annually.
Georgia lawmakers: Support our current and future workforce by making a critical investment in child care in the FY25 budget! #GANeedsChildCare #gapolSpecific Time or Duration -
Download
Storytelling #1
Calling child care providers, early educators, & families! Your stories—both positive & negative—are critical to increasing investment in our child care system. Make your voice heard by clicking the link our bio to share your story using our easy-to-use platform.
The Georgia Infant-Toddler Coalition will share your experiences with changemakers to strengthen our advocacy efforts as we work to improve outcomes for families with young children and the people who care for them across Georgia. #GaNeedsChildCareSpecific Time or Duration
