Early Childhood Focus

Rowe: Child Care Pays Dividends

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:55:27 PST

Good early child care and parent education could save Maine money on jails, special education and substance abuse, Attorney General Steven Rowe told a group at University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn College on Wednesday.

Melanie Collins is one of 790 child-care workers in Maine who recently voted to unionize

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:51:39 PST

Last summer, when organizers were reaching out to home-based day cares to gather support for a new union that could represent independent child-care providers in Maine, Melanie Collins didn't need any persuading. As a former nurse, she had seen firsthand the benefits unions provide medical workers, from improving the work environment to ensuring adequate pay. "I'm very pro union," she says.

Bangor: Child care providers lauded

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:46:59 PST

While hundreds of child care providers from all over the state were honored at the eighth annual Maine Roads to Quality reception on Saturday for improving their skills, one was selected for special recognition.

Home child care providers vote to unionize in Maine

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:03:42 PST

Nearly 2,200 people who care for children in their homes plan to press their case for joining a union when the Legislature reconvenes next year, following a statewide vote in favor of organizing.

Panel supports new programs for child care

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:09:23 PST

A group studying ways to help young children voted Wednesday on a broad proposal that would give low-income parents more money to pay for child care and create a new office to advocate for children.

Will day-care providers unionize?

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:08:11 PST

With postcard ballots sent out Friday, about 2,200 Maine home-based child-care providers could vote to join a service employees' union to obtain lobbying power in Augusta.

New state debit cards concern child care providers

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:14:45 PST

On Oct. 1, the state will stop using voucher management agencies to dole out child care subsidies and will instead give parents debit cards to pay for day care themselves.

Child-care workers to vote on union

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:19:22 PST

Caregivers' low pay hurts quality

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:52:43 PST