The proverb “it takes a village” rings true for most any family raising a child. For Denver families with young children, parenting is just one of many countless responsibilities. A number of Denver families grapple with one or several of the following:
- figuring out how and when to start the child care or preschool search
- finding child care that works with their job
- affording child care
- understanding the differences in child care and preschool programs
- navigating how to apply for child care and preschool assistance
- getting help with food or housing
- identifying age-appropriate developmental supports for their child
- managing transportation
- juggling to afford basic needs with care and education for their child
It’s no wonder that even the most connected or knowledgeable families can feel overwhelmed, exhausted or frustrated. Add in disparate and disconnected resources, websites, applications and organizations to navigate, and families often feel lost and alone on an island rather than surrounded by a village.
First Step Collective is an antidote to the challenges. We are creating a connected system of care for all Denver children and families. Not a new program. Not a new maze of disconnected processes. Denver families need programs, resources, caregivers and organizations that already support them to connect more effectively. We’re committed to making the existing system work better.
Let’s explore what happens when First Step Collective’s vision becomes a reality. Below we unpack what will change when Denver families experience early care and education resources as a connected network rather than separate programs and processes.
Denver Already Has Many of the Early Care and Education Pieces
The great news is that Denver has many strengths–programs, organizations and people–that simply need connectedness. We don’t need to start from scratch. We just need a new recipe.
First Step Collective unites:
- dedicated people
- strong organizations
- trusted relationships
- significant early childhood investments
- established programs
- experienced providers and educators
By doing so, families can find, and benefit from, their village much more easily.
Denver Preschool Program (DPP) is an important part of this already-established foundation. For 20 years and counting, DPP has distributed $204 million in tuition credits, served more than 82,000 children and currently works with 264 participating providers. DPP has shown that by connecting families, providers and resources, everyone benefits.
As the Children’s Funding Project highlights, DPP’s infrastructure has evolved to align state and local resources to support partnerships across Denver’s early childhood ecosystem. And DPP has become a model not just for communities in Colorado, but for cities across the country.
Imagine what’s possible when First Step Collective applies that approach–and two decades of learning and building trusted relationships–to the 0 to 5 landscape.
What Could a Connected System Actually Feel Like for Families?
Strategy and planning are foundational to making our vision a reality. Theory is great. Reality is better. So what does a connected system actually feel like for families?
It starts on day one: A family knows where to begin regardless of where they enter the early care and education landscape. This means they could approach early care and education from any “front door”—a preschool, pediatrician, library, community organization or family resource center—but each effectively connects that family to the next appropriate resource. And the beauty is that their entry point might be a single question, like how to afford child care. Yet, with a connected system, a family seeking help paying for child care might also discover that they qualify for:
- food assistance
- health coverage
- housing resources
- financial support
- early childhood intervention services
When this happens, families spend less time navigating–and often feeling lost or frustrated–and more time as a family.
Real-Life Example in Action: MyFriendBen
First Step Collective is already beginning to demonstrate this concept through MyFriendBen, which is integrated into the DPP application and helps families identify support related to food, housing, health, finances and other needs. When everything works together, families feel more informed, supported and confident in their choices. They know what’s available, where to turn for help and how to find the options that work best for their family.
Learn more about our vision for a connected system of care and what this means for not only Denver families, but also Denver early care and education providers, partners and funders in future blog posts. Sign up for our newsletter.