EXCERPT FROM: PR Log Free Press Release
By PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 29, 2010 – The Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida (ELC) is participating in the Child Care Executive Partnership Program (CCEP), helping to fill the gap in child care funding for working parents.
The CCEP mission is to “promote public private partnerships to ensure that the children of Florida are provided safe, high quality, developmentally appropriate and enriching childcare while parents work to remain self-sufficient.”All Florida businesses can participate in providing assistance to their eligible employees and for every dollar allotted, the state matches it equally. CCEP is managed and administered by the Agency for Workforce Innovation, office of Early Learning and guided by a statewide board appointed by the Governor. It currently operates a $15 million budget.
Families are eligible if they are at 200% of the poverty level, or for example, a family of four making no more than $38,700 annually. Parents participate by paying a portion of the costs based on a sliding fee scale, often times only a tenth of the regular rate.
Programs such as CCEP lead to higher attendance and a decrease in tardiness among employees. Research has show also show that staffers work better as they are less concerned about the well being of their children while they are working. All CCEP participating childcare centers are either inspected by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or by ELC to ensure quality.