A program approved by the Wyoming Legislature this spring is offering grants and other support intended to improve the quality of child care in the state.
Called WY Quality Counts, the $1.4 million program is accepting applications from child care providers for scholarships and grants.
Shelli Stewart, the public-relations manager with the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, said the program is offering $300,000 for grants allowing child care providers to get training. She said it's also offering $300,000 in scholarships, which child care providers can use to pursue college degrees or other programs.
The program has $100,000 set aside for "quality training," in which the Department of Workforce Services will provide regional training for child care providers, Stewart said. She said $100,000 is reserved for business training for providers. In addition to making satisfactory progress, child care providers receiving the funding must make a commitment to remain working for a Wyoming day care business for a reasonable time after completing the coursework, Stewart said.
"The whole thing is about quality, quality, quality," said Rick Imbrogno, program manager of WY Quality Counts.
Child care providers said they're excited about the program.
Jan Lawrence, director of Basic Beginnings day care in Laramie, said finding people who are trained to understand and nurture children in their early years is the top issue for parents and child care providers.
"So this is very exciting for us," Lawrence said. "We are watching and waiting."
Sue Erpelding, the operator of Bumblebees and Bears in Cheyenne, said that in the past, people have looked on child care providers as baby sitters, "people who just hung out with kids."
Erpelding said she supports increasing the availability of good child care and improving the level of learning.
"Offering that opportunity doesn't diminish, at all, all of the loving and nurturing that children need," Erpelding said. "I don't want to minimize that."
Full text available at the Billings Gazette
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