Early Childhood Focus

Investigation launched after convicted felon found working at childcare

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:19:40 PST

EXCERPT FROM: CBS Atlanta
By Bernard Watson
ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) - When CBS Atlanta News reporter Bernard Watson went to Children First Learning Center Tuesday, he was met by Winston Douglas, who asked him to leave.

Former Atlanta childcare employee: Kids aren't safe

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:25 PST

EXCERPT FROM: CBS Atlanta
By Bernard Watson and Mandi Milligan
ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) - CBS Atlanta News has Tough Questions for the directors of an Atlanta daycare after getting a tip that a convicted felon was working around the kids.

Georgia Improves in Family Childcare Regulations According to New NACCRRA Report

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:05:33 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Georgia Voices
By kclark
Georgia is making strides in becoming a state which ensures safe and quality childcare for children who attend family daycare centers. The National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) has released the results of its 2012 �Leaving Children to Chance� report, ranking Georgia 11th out of the 50 states in the quality of its regulatory practices for family daycare centers. Georgia�s vast improvement in the rankings from 38th in 2010 is largely attributed to new requirements that all daycare centers be inspected before they are licensed and that new family day care applicants obtain 20 hours of pre-servicing training.

New Toddler Curriculum Training Course Enhances the Early Care Experience

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:34:02 PST

EXCERPT FROM: MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal
By PR Newswire
DULUTH, Ga., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), an online child care training provider dedicated exclusively to the early care and education workforce, is proud to announce the addition of The Toddler Curriculum to the online child care training course catalog.

State paid child cares that failed to meet standards

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:37:22 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Atlanta Journal Constitution
By Tim Eberly
The day care center�s state file is thick for a reason. Staffers have hit children with rulers, encouraged one child to hit another and failed to tell parents that one child had developed a highly contagious skin infection, among dozens of infractions found by state investigators.

University Childcare Center to open at Navy School

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:14:45 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Red and Black
By Marcus Floyd
The McPhaul Child Development Center is no longer the only option for University parents with day care needs � the University Childcare Center will open the first week of January.

Atlanta employer to open child care center for 120

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:49:49 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Business Management Daily
By The HR Specialist
Newell Rubbermaid broke ground in October on a two-story, 17,000-square-foot child care center that will accommodate 120 children of full-time employees by early next year. The new facility is next door to the company�s Atlanta headquarters.

Safer Child-Care Facilities Become Mom�s Push

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:43:54 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Tim Eberly
In three days, Amanda Hester would marry the quiet Army Ranger she met on Match.com. She took the rest of the week off to make final preparations.

Georgia Pursuing $70 Million, Second Race to Top Grant

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:18:56 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Nancy Badertscher
GEORGIA � Georgia officials are hoping for a $70 million federal cash prize aimed at improving school readiness for the state�s 825,000 youngest children, especially the 54 percent identified as low income.

Increase in Latch Key Kids Seen

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:32:22 PST

EXCERPT FROM: My Fox Atlanta
By STAFF
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - One problem working parents face daily -- what to do with your children while you're gone.

A Productive Year for the General Assembly

Tue, 31 May 2011 16:18:10 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Walton Tribune
By Bruce Williamson
The Georgia General Assembly's 2011 legislative session began on an icy Monday in January and ended on a warm Thursday in April. During the 40 legislative days that fell within the months between, I had the privilege of working with our other Walton County representative, Len Walker, as we both focused on the needs of our county and state.

Cost of Child Care

Mon, 09 May 2011 18:15:54 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Athens Banner-Herald
By Kristen Morales
For all its benefits, one fact remains about child care: It's expensive.

Survey: Weak Economy Led to 1,395 Child Care Program Closures In Georgia Last Year

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:14:37 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Digital Journal
By PR Newswire
ATLANTA, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Already struggling in a difficult economy, conditions went from bad to worse in 2010 for Georgia's child care providers and the thousands of children and families they serve.

Child Care for Disabled Kids Hard to Find in Midstate

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 09:50:59 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Macon.com
By S. Heather Duncan
Two weeks before school started, the new day care director broke the bad news to Nancy Kelley: No more after-school program would be offered. She would have two weeks to find some other care for her son Joseph.
Kelley did. But she also learned that the director had lied. The after-school program never ended. But the lie got rid of Joseph, who is autistic. His disorder means he has limited speech and sometimes starts head butting when he becomes angry.

Race to the Top to Focus on Infants and Toddlers, Too

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:41:42 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Macon News
By S. Heather Duncan
It�s not only Georgia�s public school and university students who are �racing to the top� using a $400 million federal grant over the next four years, so are the youngest children, before they even start school.

Child Care Assistance Funds Drying Up as Need Deepens

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:48:54 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Macon.com
By S. Heather Duncan
For parents such as Vanita Adams, government help with day care costs made the difference between employment and welfare.

Fees Strain Parents, But Centers Still Barely Paying the Bills

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:15:08 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Macon.com
By S. Heather Duncan
Many parents save for more than a decade for their children�s college education. There are scholarships and federal assistance to help young adults and their parents afford that huge investment in their future.

State Child-care Agency Steadily Toughening Standards

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:44:40 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Macon.com
By S. Heather Duncan
Under the guidance of Commissioner Holly Robinson, the independent governing board of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning has slowly but steadily made the state�s day-care standards more rigorous in recent years.

Childcare Closures on the Rise, Not in Dougherty Co.

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:35:35 PST

EXCERPT FROM: WALB News
By Cade Fowler
ALBANY, GA (WALB) � A recent study shows thousands of Georgia daycare centers have shut down in the last couple of years. Many were forced out of business because of the bad economy.

Economy Hits Georgia Child Care Hard; 600 Centers Forced to Shut

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:10:23 PST

EXCERPT FROM: AJC.com
By Gracie Bonds Staples
For nearly a decade, after the economy forced her out of a corporate job, Carol Ann George-Roach took care of other people�s children.