May 7, 2024 Child Care Providers Invited to Participate In “Imagine a Day Without Child Care” Throughout May, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board is inviting Pennsylvania child care providers to participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care. Inspired by the national “A Day Without Child Care,” which takes place every year in May, Imagine a Day Without Child Care offers advocacy activities to engage families, teachers, and staff in early learning programs. Imagine a Day’s Origins Since 2022, Start Strong PA and the Provider Advisory Board have drawn attention to the importance of early care and education providers by strengthening the policy-to-practice feedback loop, and growing the network of providers willing to mobilize and advocate on behalf of the early childhood field. Inspired by the national Day Without Child Care movement, the board introduced A Day Without Child Care to enable child care providers to close on May 13 to advocate for their programs and encourage families to raise awareness for the day. PAB’s Toolkit To support provider participation in Imagine a Day Without Child Care, the Provider Advisory Board releases an annual toolkit that includes: Information on how to reach out to state legislators Samples of prompts to post on social media to raise awareness for the day Tags to include in social media posts Information on how to set up a family engagement station for parents or caregivers to take quick action during drop-off or pickup. Stations can include printable temples that families can use to share their stories. Printable grab-and-go stickers that can be worn on Imagine a Day Without Child Care Learn More On May 13 and throughout the month, Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA are encouraging child care providers to use their voices to advocate for increased funding in the state budget to provide higher wages for early childhood educators. When posting to social media, be sure to tag Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA so these organizations can elevate provider posts and ensure elected officials receive a collective message. Families can also sign a petition to tell their elected officials that they rely on child care and support increased investments in child care wages. To learn more, visit Start Strong PA’s website.
May 8, 2023 Child Care Providers Invited to Participate in ‘Imagine a Day Without Child Care’ Throughout the month of May, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board (PAB) is inviting Pennsylvania child care providers to participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care. Presented in conjunction with the national Day Without Childcare movement on May 8, Imagine a Day Without Child Care offers advocacy activities for providers to engage their teachers, staff, and families in their early learning programs. About PAB and Imagine a Day Without Child Care Since 2022, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board has aimed to elevate the influence of early care and education providers by strengthening the policy-to-practice feedback loop, and growing the network of providers willing to mobilize and advocate on behalf of the early childhood field. Inspired by the Day Without Child Care movement, PAB introduced Imagine a Day Without Child Care to enable child care providers unable to close on May 8 to advocate for their programs and encourage families to raise awareness around the workforce crisis, as they care for children. This year, Imagine a Day Without Child Care will address the following themes: Families on the waiting list aren’t forgotten, and we’re trying everything to get you in our doors. What will higher wages mean for our early childhood educators? How can we give our families and staff an outlet and opportunity to share their stories? Connecting the workforce crisis to those who are affected by it — but might not otherwise realize it — such as business owners. Participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care To support provider participation in Imagine a Day Without Child Care, PAB developed a toolkit with posters, stickers, social media posts, and an action alert for families—both currently enrolled and on waitlists. Access the toolkit on the Start Strong PA website and join PAB in Imagine A Day Without Child Care. Learn More May 8, and throughout the month of May, Strong Strong PA and Pre-K for PA encourage child care providers to use their voices to advocate for increased funding in the state budget to address higher wages for early childhood educators. Please tag Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA when posting, so these organizations can elevate provider posts and ensure elected officials hear this collective message. To learn more, visit the Start Strong PA website.
