CCALA News & Events

July 2023

NEW REPORT BRIEFS!

The Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) is excited to announce the release of its new Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Briefs:

Funded by First 5 LA, these briefs feature data and insights collected from both HBCC providers and the families who rely on them and serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders seeking to develop innovative strategies that support the HBCC workforce and improve child care outcomes.

The Family Child Care and Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care briefs are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.


June 2023

NEW REPORT!

The Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) is excited to announce the release of The Landscape of Home-Based Child Care in Los Angeles County: Framework for Future Planning.  Funded by First 5 LA, this report features data and insights collected from both Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) providers and the families who rely on them and serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders seeking to develop innovative strategies that support the HBCC workforce and improve child care outcomes.


December 2020

California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care

On Tuesday, December 1, the state released its long-awaited Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which highlights California’s vision to restructure the child care system over the next 10 years. The plan addresses the expansion of public preschool for 3-4-year-old children, strengthening training and equitable compensation for child care providers, streamlining standards for early education, increasing access for low-income, working families, and much more.

As our Executive director, Cristina Alvarado stated: “Childcare is the backbone of the economy and it will need to play a critical role in supporting parents who work.”  We are excited to learn more and continue the conversation on how we advance an early learning and care system that is equitable and meets the diverse needs of our children, families, and child care providers.

Check out these two articles that highlight responses to the Master Plan from our Executive Director, Pathways LA, and other ECE partners:

https://edsource.org/2020/inside-californias-new-master-plan-to-reshape-early-education-and-child-care/644509

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-01/california-unveiled-a-blueprint-for-the-future-of-early-education-critics-say-its-built-on-shaky-ground

For full details on the Master Plan visit: https://www.chhs.ca.gov/home/master-plan-for-early-learning-and-care/

Also, join the Early Childhood Policy Council for a special session on the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care on

Thursday, December 10th, 2020
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm PST

Register in advance for this meeting: https://wested.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1v5MlOd5TZ-hgGIKWDFUHA


November 2020

Supporting Child Care Heroes in LA County

Child care is essential and now more than ever, child care providers need our support. Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic, LA County’s child care providers have stepped into their role as child care heroes to support other essential workers, children, families, and our communities. In partnership with many generous donors and member agencies, CCALA has provided and distributed more than 2 million essential health and safety items (i.e. face coverings, sanitizer, cleaning supplies, diapers, and much more) to support our child care heroes through this time of uncertainty.

As we continue to find ways to support child care providers, we want to acknowledge the generous contributions of the following supporters. THANK YOU for your commitment to our child care heroes!

                 


October 2020

New report: ECE Competencies Training and Technical Assistance Project

The Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles is pleased to announce the release of its latest report, The ECE Competencies Training, and Technical Assistance Project: A Successful Collaborative Professional Development Approach.  Detailing highlights from this successful two-year project funded by First 5 LA, this report provides information on this innovative approach to successfully integrating the California Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Competencies into professional development training.

The California Early Childhood Educator Competencies are an important tool in helping to achieve a universal, high-quality, and equitable ECE system. In 2011, the Competencies were released to the public. This 224-page titan of knowledge, skills, and dispositions serves as a unifying set of standards and shared knowledge that has the potential to professionalize the ECE workforce.

The Childcare Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA), in partnership with First 5 LA, launched a replicable model designed to align, embed, and expand the use of the ECE Competencies across Los Angeles-based ECE organizations interested in strengthening their organization’s training programs. In order to transform the workforce, the systems that prepare and support that workforce must also be transformed and made sustainable. This project’s twin goals were to impart knowledge and advance a systems-change strategy for the organizations providing professional development opportunities to ECE providers and the broader ECE system.

This project has demonstrated that an intentional, collaborative approach to integrating the California ECE Competencies into professional development is possible and can lead to systemic change.  Click here to read the full report.

For additional information, contact Fiona Stewart at fiona.stewart@ccala.net.


August 2020

Improving Early Care and Education Workforce Data: Opportunities in California

The California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Registry has released its 2020 data report, “Improving Early Care and Education Workforce Data: Opportunities in California.”  This data report provides a snapshot of how the Registry offers opportunities to streamline data collection on the ECE workforce. Regulatory and policy changes are needed to realize this potential and ensure access to high-quality, verified data crucial for local and state-level workforce reporting, research, policy, practice, and advocacy.

The Registry is a secure, online system designed to track and promote the employment, training, and education of our Early Learning professionals statewide. It is the primary source of verified information about California’s Early Learning workforce and promotes professionalism and workforce quality that positively impacts children in Los Angeles County and throughout California.

Learn more here.

This report was made possible in partnership with the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles, First 5 CA, First 5 LA, First 5 Santa Clara County, San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education, and Quality Counts CA.


Winter 2019

Congratulations to Fiona Stewart for Making her Mark!

The Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) would like to acknowledge our very own Fiona Stewart, Program Director, whose book, “Building Together: Collaborative Leadership in Early Childhood Systems” has been published by Redleaf Press. We are so proud and wish her continued success!

“Building Together is a journey focused on the leadership necessary for today’s early childhood education system building. This book provides a road map to what effective leaders do, how they do it, and the leadership necessary to work towards collaborative systems level change” (Redleaf Press). The book includes examples of collaborative work of CCALA and others across the early childhood field.

Visit the Redleaf Press website to learn more – Building Together – https://www.redleafpress.org/Building-Together-Collaborative-Leadership-in-Early-Childhood-Systems-P1997.aspx

About Fiona: Fiona has worked as a teacher and director in early childhood programs, a college instructor, grant administrator, program director and consultant and trainer. She is currently the Program Director of the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles, a network partnership of the child care resource and referral, and alternative payment agencies across the county. She oversees county-wide collaborative programs, including the Gateways for Early Educators™ professional development system and the California Early Care & Education Workforce Registry. Fiona holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and Master’s from Pacific Oaks College and was recognized as a Master Leader from the Exchange Leadership Initiative (Redleaf Press).