Child-care providers in Western Illinois could get some expert help thanks to $25,000 grant from a fund managed by the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area.
Jill Arnold Blickhan, executive director of the Community Foundation, said this is the first grant from the Communityworks Fund. It will go to the West Central Childcare Connection to create a mentor program targeting day-care programs conducted in homes.
"Mentors will work with 25 licensed family child-care providers in Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike counties," Blickhan said.
Today's grant announcement was made at 14th and Harrison, where Holly Elsie operates a day care.
"It's a wonderful program to show care providers how they're doing," Elsie said.
Karen Points of the West Central Childcare Connection explained that home child-care providers can be teamed up with mentors who will use nationally recognized rating programs to see where improvements are needed. Mini-grants of $300 will be available to the care providers to buy needed equipment.
"Maybe what the assessment finds is no small-size furniture or not enough books or ... the playground isn't surfaced," Points said. "A budget of $300 for the home provider and the mentor can help make those changes."
The grant also will help:
*Establish model day-care environment sites so that care providers can see setups that work well.
*Create partnerships between parents, child-care providers and local support agencies through group discussions.
*Advertise the programs.