Michigans Better Kid Care Project: Integrating Community Assets to Increase Home and Business Owners

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Michigans Better Kid Care Project Integrating
Community Assets to Increase Home and Business
Ownership and to Increase the Availability of
Quality Child Care

• Bettie Brown, IDA Coordinator, MSU Extension and
• President, Saginaw Family Child Care Network
• Freda McNair, Nutrition Instructor, MSU Extension
• Barbara Mutch, Program Leader, MSU Extension

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 The Saginaw Family Child Care Network

• A Project of the Joining Forces Child Care
  Initiative
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• Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

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The Mission
To develop quality child care and strong
communities through home ownership and
neighborhood revival among low-income families on
the eastside of Saginaw.
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The Vision

• Improve child care options on Saginaws eastside
  using a community economic development model
• Add value to the assets that already existed in
  the community
• Change to come from within the community
• Neighborhood creates and sustains positive change

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Vision - continued

• Business opportunities for community residents
• Quality child care for children, including those
  with disabilities
• Supportive environments that would alleviate the
  isolation of child care providers.
• Comprehensive training for the providers.

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Results
Of the over 200 potential providers that have
been trained by SFCCN 45 are currently licensed
and able to care for over 500 children
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Results

• The 45 licensed child care providers trained by
  the Network generate over 1,200,000 in gross
  income from child care reimbursements and fees
  PER YEAR!

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Assets

• Over 27 Network members have opened Individual
  Development Accounts
• Asset Purchases
• FIVE homes
• SIX education
• EIGHT business

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Important Lessons Learned

• There is no one right way to form a Network
• Prescreening trainees is a technique that focuses
  on deficits
• Child care is an economic development opportunity
  
• Paraprofessionals are a very effective mechanism
  to recruit and train providers.

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Replication

• Better Kid Care- Phase II begins
• The Michigan Family Independence Agency provides
  funding
• To expand the availability of quality child care
  in low-income neighborhoods.
• Communities map out their assets, engage the
  community, provide training and mentoring to
  assist providers to become licensed

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BKC II-Strategies and Objectives

• Engage the Community
• Provide Training Opportunities Specific to the
  Needs of the Community
• Mentoring and Support

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Evaluation

• Methodology Designed to Gain Understanding to
  Inform Future Programming
• Methods Interviews (telephone/face-to-face
  one-on-one) and/or Group Discussions
• Participants Individuals, staff and community
  collaborators