1968

The federal Panel on Early Childhood, created by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, is renamed the Federal Community Coordinated Child Care (4C) Committee. The Federal 4C coordinates Federal early childhood programs administered by numerous departments. It also encourages the formation of similar organizations at the state and local levels.

 

1969-1970

In preparation for the 1970 White House Conference on Children, a task force meets to identify issues related to children's needs and services in Michigan. The task force believes the 4C concept should be explored in Michigan. The Governor's Welfare Study Commission issues a preliminary report recommending that the State of Michigan develop a 4C program located in the Executive Office of the Governor. The Federal 4C grants seed money to develop local 4C projects, including the Flint-Genesee County 4C in Michigan. Several Michigan Department of Social Services staff investigate creating a statewide 4C.

 

1971

Local 4C groups are established in Genesee, Kent, Menominee/Delta/Schoolcraft, Ottawa, and Wayne Counties. The Flint-Genesee County 4C convenes a meeting of local 4C representatives, state officials, and interested persons to form a statewide 4C organization. Michigan Department of Social Services (MDSS) offers to fund and house a staff person to work with a 4C steering committee. Task forces begin drafting by-laws, seeking membership, and developing a plan of activities. Clara Noble assumes the position of State 4C Coordinator.

 

1972

Governor William G. Milliken endorses the fledgling Michigan 4C Committee as the state level planning and coordinating body for children's services. A Board is organized representing providers of children's services, parents, public sector officials, and private interested citizens and organizations. Howard Sousley, MDSS Director of Community Social Services is chosen as first Chairperson. The State 4C organization and Michigan State University co-sponsor a conference on "Quality Child Care". In May of 1972, the board officially adopts by-laws and constitutes itself as the 4C organization for the State of Michigan. A checking account is established and meetings are held with State officials concerning the future of the Michigan 4C Council. Dr. Roy E. Peterson of the Mott Children's Health Center is elected chairperson. Funding is secured from MDSS for the local 4C's of Flint-Genesee County, Kent County, Washtenaw County, and Detroit/Wayne County under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act.

 

1973

Clara Noble resigns as State 4C Coordinator. The Executive committee develops a formal job description for the position of Executive coordinator. Executive Committee members also meet with officials of the Governor’s Office to discuss moving 4C from MDSS to that office. The Michigan 4C council is transferred from MDSS to the Executive Office's Bureau of Programs and Budgets. Susan Brook is hired as Executive Coordinator. First issue of the Michigan 4C Council newsletter appears. The newly hired Executive Coordinator continues providing information and technical assistance to both funded and non-funded local 4C organizations. Andrew W. L. Brown of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) is elected chairperson. Executive Order 1973-7 and Public Act 127 of 1973 create the Michigan Department of Management and Budget. The State 4C is transferred from the Executive Office to this newly created Department. The first Annual Michigan 4C Council Fall Conference is held.

 

1974

The board adopts "The Role of 4C in Michigan" as the philosophical foundation and purpose of the State 4C. Membership policies are adopted. At the Annual Meeting, the Council authorizes major revisions in the by-laws as a result of the growth and stability of the organization. Andrew Brown is re-elected Chairperson. MDSS Title IV-A funding continues for four local 4C's. Technical assistance to local 4C's continues, as does publication of the State 4C newsletter. Local 4C coordinators meet to share information. The DMB budget reflects a line item appropriation for the Michigan 4C Council that includes two additional staff positions. The second Annual Fall conference is held. Shirley M. Middlebrook and Larry C. Chambers are hired as Secretary and Program Specialist, respectively.

 

1975

Program direction continues to focus on provision of technical assistance to local 4C's and provision of pertinent information via newsletter, telephone, and meetings. The local 4C group in Jackson County receives funding from MDSS under Title IV-A, just before Congressionally mandated revision of Social Security Act establishes Title XX as the source of Federal social services funds. The Annual Meeting is held on May 1, 1975. Michael Hudson, from Lansing, is elected Chairperson. Due to problems in securing local matching funds, the Washtenaw County 4C dissolves. The Flint-Genesee County, Jackson County, Kent County and Detroit/Wayne County local 4C's are joined by the Ingham County Office for Young Children with Title XX funding from MDSS. State 4C involvement in state-level policymaking grows as 4C representatives and staff serve on advisory committees to various state departments. State 4C staff initiates a legislative tracking system and provides consultation and assistance to related child and family services organizations. The Third Annual Fall Conference is held.

 

1976

The State 4C Board publishes "Organizing Your Community for Child Advocacy: The 4C Approach", a resource guide for organizing local 4C groups. The board also adopts the "4C Policy Statement" as a tool for assessing legislation, regulation and public policy affecting children. The Annual Meeting is held on April 23, 1976. Michael Hudson is re-elected chairperson.

Local 4C's experience difficulty in obtaining funding because of changes made by MDSS in the method of allocating Title XX funds. The Board acts to secure local 4C funding by requesting DMB Director Gerald H. Miller and MDSS Director John T. Dempsey to approve a coordinated state agency purchase agreement between DMB and DSS, to be administered by the Michigan 4C Council. The two department directors approve this arrangement and the local 4C's in Genesee, Jackson, and Kent counties receive funding through sub agreements with DMB. Their respective County DSS offices fund the 4C’s in Ingham and Wayne Counties.

With assistance from two student interns from the University of Michigan and from the Family Day Care Council of Michigan, "Poisons: Keep Out of Sight, Out of Reach" is developed and published by the Michigan 4C Council as a guide to poison prevention in the home.

 

1977

The "Children's Legislative Reference Guide" is published by the Michigan 4C Council. It is a guide to bills, resolutions and public acts affecting children considered by the Michigan State Legislature. The Annual Meeting is held on June 7, 1977. Rachael Asbury, from Lansing, is elected chairperson. The Child Care Coordinating and Referral Service is formed in Washtenaw County and becomes part of the statewide network of local 4C organizations. The 4C's of Genesee, Jackson, and Kent Counties are joined in the state agency purchase agreement by the 4C's in Gratiot, Ingham, Oakland, Ottawa, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties.

 

1978

The Annual Meeting is held on April 20, 1978. Janine Stephenson, representing the Kalamazoo County 4C, is elected Chairperson. The Jackson County 4C dissolves. William Perry and Cynthia Shultz are hired as Public Information/Legislative Specialist and Secretary, respectively, bringing the total number of Michigan 4C Council staff to five. Janine Stephenson resigns as Chairperson and is succeeded by Henry C. Alting, Executive Secretary of the Michigan Community Action Agency Association.

 

1979

Executive Coordinator Susan Brook is designated as Governor Milliken's liaison for the International Year of the Child (IYC) activities. Staff participates in the planning and conduct of the official Michigan IYC "Kick-Off" held on February 20, 1979. Publication of a bi-monthly newsletter, the MICHIGAN IYC REPORT, begins. Michigan 4C Council newsletter is named "CHILDSPEAK" and features a revised format and publication schedule. Board members participate in hearings held by the U.S. Departments of Health, Education and Welfare and Agriculture. Interested persons in Traverse City and the Upper Peninsula form local 4C groups. The Annual Meeting is held on May 10, 1979. Henry C. Alting is re-elected chairperson. The local 4C's of Grand Traverse, Kalamazoo, and the Upper Peninsula join the coordinated funding arrangements, bringing total number of funded local 4C's to eleven. Emphasis continues on providing assistance to local 4C groups, on facilitating citizen participation in public policy and decision-making, and on advocating on behalf of the State's children.

 

1980

State 4C office is eliminated. It had been in the Department of Management and Budget. Local 4C offices continue to provide child care referral services and training under contract with MDSS. Bill Hankins is contract manager.

 

1981-1986

Funding from MDSS continues for child care referral services and training. Meetings of the directors of 4C offices continue. 4C regional agencies expand coverage to include the entire state. 4C offices begin using CareFinder®, a computer child care database program, as part of a contract with Work/Family Directions for employer-sponsored child care services.

The Michigan Women’s Commission conducts a statewide survey on child care needs. The results of the survey indicate an acute shortage of infant care, school-age care and care for children with special needs. The survey results also indicate a need to improve coordination among local child care programs.

 

1987

Mary Addison, Director of the Michigan Women’s Commission meets with Bill Hankins and several 4C directors to explore the creation of a state-level 4C office. 4C Directors agree to establish a new 4C state office as a 501(c) 3 non-profit agency. Incorporation papers were filed to create the Michigan 4C Association with the Directors of the local 4C offices comprising the Board of Directors.

Kristi Carambula (Kalamazoo 4C) is elected as chairperson of the Board of Directors.

 

1988

In January, the Michigan 4C Association opened an office. Three new local 4C offices are created: Saginaw Valley Regional 4C, Macomb 4C and Northeast Michigan 4C. The Board of Directors hires Margaret Crawley to manage the training fund. Mark Sullivan is hired as Executive Director in March. Leslie dePietro joins the Michigan 4C Association as a policy specialist.

The Michigan 4C Association receives a grant from the Mervyn’s Foundation to provide child care provider training. The grant was implemented in the communities that had Mervyn’s Stores. The Board of Directors appoints an advisory board comprised of community representatives and leaders from government.

All of the local 4C offices and the Michigan 4C Association join NACCRRA (National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies). Mark Sullivan is elected to the NACCRRA Board of Directors.

 

1989

The Michigan 4C Association holds the first staff development retreat at MacMullan Conference Center. Gwen Morgan, national child care resource and referral consultant, presents at the retreat. The Michigan 4C Association publishes Child Care In Michigan: A Profile. The book is the first comprehensive analysis of child care in the state. All 4C offices work with the Children’s Defense Fund to provide child care statistics and information to support the "Act for Better Child Care". In 1990, the Act passes as the "Child Care and Development Block Grant".

Governor Blanchard establishes the "Michigan Child Care Clearinghouse" within the Department of Commerce. The purpose of the Clearinghouse is to support business initiatives in employer-sponsored child care. The Michigan 4C Association provides technical assistance to the Clearinghouse staff and to the business advisory committee.

Deb Sumption is hired as Business Manager.

AAA of Michigan engages the Michigan 4C Association to provide "enhanced" child care referrals for employees. (This is the first in-state employer-sponsored child care contract.) Citizen’s Insurance contracts with the Michigan 4C Association for "enhanced" child care referral services.

Carole Quarterman, director of the Detroit/Wayne County 4C, is elected to the NACCRRA board. Carole also serves as the chairperson of the state Early On Interagency Coordinating Council.

 

1990

The Michigan 4C Association receives a grant from the Ford Foundation to expand child care provider training and to establish a public/private partnership for training. The initiative is called the "Michigan Child Care Futures" Project. Funds from the Ford Foundation permit training of child care providers state-wide.

As a result of the passage of the Child Care and Development Block Grant, the State of Michigan/Department of Social Services requests proposals for child care provider training. The Michigan 4C Association receives the contract. Working with the network of local 4C offices, the Michigan 4C Association conducts employer needs assessments for five Michigan-based businesses.

The staff development retreat is combined with the NACCRRA Regional Conference and held in Kalamazoo. Joan Lombardi, national child care consultant (and later to be named as the Director of the federal Child Care Bureau) presents the keynote address. The Michigan 4C Association conducts the first market rate survey to determine the cost of child care in Michigan.

Lee Porter replaces Leslie dePietro who resigns to take a position at the University of Michigan.

 

1991

Governor Engler uses the line item veto to eliminate funding for the Michigan 4C Association office. The Directors of the local 4C offices, meeting as the Board of Directors, provide financial support and resolve to continue the Michigan 4C Association. The Michigan 4C Association signs a contract with the Human Resource Center of UAW-GM to provide on-site child care referral counselors in designated General Motors plants.

 

1992

Cora Visscher (Ottawa 4C/Scan) is elected as chairperson of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors elects to change the structure of the board. The by-laws are revised to provide for community representation on the Board of Directors. The number of community representatives is set at a number equal to the number of 4C offices.

The Michigan 4C Association holds an informational forum for legislators on child day care licensing. The Kellogg Foundation funds the event.

The network of 4C offices conducts the second market rate survey to determine the current cost of child care in Michigan. The Michigan 4C Association conducts the analysis of the data.

The Developmental Disabilities Institute of Wayne State University receives a federal grant to conduct child care provider training focused on serving children with special needs. The project was conducted in collaboration with local 4C offices and support from the Michigan 4C Association. The project became known as "Project TEAM" (Teaching Empowerment Across Michigan).

 

1993

The Skillman Foundation (Detroit) becomes a funder of the Michigan Child Care Futures Project.

The Michigan 4C Association receives a grant from the Michigan Department of Education to establish the Early On project for public awareness and the central directory of resources. Sara Miller is hired to develop and oversee the new project.

 

1994

The Frey Foundation (Grand Rapids) provides a grant for the Michigan Child Care Futures Project.

The network of 4C offices conducts the second market rate survey to determine the current cost of child care in Michigan. The Michigan 4C Association conducts the analysis of the data.

The Board of Directors establishes a CareFinder® Committee. The purpose of the committee is to improve the capabilities of the local offices and to increase the consistency of the data fields.

Sara Clavez becomes chairperson of the Michigan 4C Association Board of Directors.

Livingston County establishes a 4C office and becomes an independent 4C agency.

The spring professional development retreat focuses on "inclusion" and the coordination of programs between child care and Early On.

The Frey Foundation (Grand Rapids) funds a project to determine community child care needs. The project, carried out by the Michigan Association of the Education of Young Children, Michigan’s Children, Michigan 4C Association and the Michigan Head Start Association, included four community-based hearings on child care. The summary of the hearings was published in a report called In Their Own Words.

The Kellogg Foundation convenes a conference called "Joining Forces". The conference brings together leaders from a number of Michigan communities. The goal is to develop strategies for systems change to improve the supply of quality child care in Michigan. Detroit/Wayne County 4C, Oakland 4C and Kent 4C receive funding from the "Joining Forces" initiative.

 

1995

The Governor establishes an advisory committee on child care. The committee provides a report to the Governor at the end of its work. The Director of the Michigan 4C Association serves on the committee.

The Board of Directors conducts strategic planning to define direction for the Association next three years. One of the many results of the strategic planning was the development of a mission statement: "The Michigan 4C Association exists to promote and advocate for the optimal care and development of Michigan’s children and families through a statewide Community Coordinated Child Care (4C) network."

The CareFinder® committee holds a training to develop consistent checklists on both the provider and customer screens.

Billie Osborne Fears, director of Starting Point in Cleveland, OH, presents the keynote address on "Increasing Diversity" at the Staff Development Retreat.

 

1996

The Mott Foundation (Flint) provides a grant to support the Michigan Child Care Futures Project with an emphasis on recruiting providers from low-income neighborhoods.

Governor Engler introduces "To Strengthen Michigan Families". This initiative becomes Michigan’s welfare reform program. At the same time, the Department of Social Services changes its name and becomes the "Family Independence Agency."

The Family Independence Agency (FIA) continues to contract for child care provider training with the Michigan 4C Association and for child care resource and referral services with the network of local 4C offices.

Pat Gannon, Director of the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Service, attends the Staff Development Retreat and presents information on the Minnesota network.

The CareFinder® Committee holds a training retreat for child care referral counselors and CareFinder® managers at MacMullan Conference Center.

 

1997

The Department of Community Health/Children’s Special Health Care Services contracts with the Michigan 4C Association to conduct child care provider training to increase the availability of care for children with special needs. The Family Independence Agency provides additional funds to expand training for children with special needs. Both departments provide funds to support "enhanced" referrals for families with children with special needs. The project is coordinated with Early On initiatives.

The CareFinder® Committee develops and publishes the CareFinder® Manual. The book lists all of the protocols and definitions that the committee adopted.

The Michigan Legislature approves appropriations bills expanding its support for child care. One of the bills that the Governor signed created a cash incentive for aides or relative child care providers who complete 15 hours of training. (The network of 4C offices already includes aides and relatives and parents in Michigan Child Care Futures Training.)

The Family Independence Agency establishes "EQUIP" grants (Enhanced Quality Improvement Projects) for child care providers who care for children from low-income families. The Michigan 4C Association administers the project. Midge Merritt is hired to manage the project. The Association also hires Shara Nelson to manage the accreditation and credential scholarship fund and the Incentives for Aides and Relatives fund.

The Michigan 4C Association establishes two web sites. One is a 4C web site www.mi4c.org. The other web site is for Early On. The Early On project of the Michigan 4C Association develops a database collaborative. The goal is to improve the information and referral capacity of local communities.

 

1998

Jan Nieuwenhuis (Greater Flint/Thumb Area 4C) is elected chairperson of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors purchases an Internet application program for CareFinder®.

The Michigan Department of Education awards a grant to the Michigan 4C Association Early On project to develop a state-wide database collaborative. The final product will be a searchable web site of community resource information.

The Michigan 4C Association begins to manage “The Women’s Caring Program.” The Women’s Caring Program provides funding to assist low-income families meet their child care expenses. The funds are available to families for one year. The funds for low-income families’ child care assistance are raised by an organization of women in Michigan who set their goal at supporting low- income families with financial assistance for child care.

The Legislature approves expansion of the "EQUIP" fund. FIA increases the training fund. The Legislature also allocates $100,000 to conduct a "Ready to Learn" Leadership Summit.

The Michigan 4C Association holds the 10th Staff Development Retreat at MacMullan Conference Center. Fran Anderson, national child care consultant, conducts a presentation on informal care arrangements called "Kith and Kin."

Rosalyn Chaffin takes over the management of the EQUIP project when Midge Merritt joins the Peace Corps. Erin McGovern is hired as the new Program Specialist.

 

1999

The Michigan Child Care Futures Project receives over one million dollars in public support (from FIA and the federal Child Care Development Block Grant Fund). The Frey Foundation, the Mott Foundation and the Skillman Foundation provide grants to support the public/private partnership in the areas of professional development and collaboration with other training systems, evaluation and mentor development.

The network of 4C offices conducts the Market Rate Survey for the Michigan 4C Association. The network also begins a project, funded by the Department of Community Health/Medical Services Administration, to identify children who do not have health insurance and assist them in applying.

 

2000

Vondie Woodbury, Director of the Muskegon Community Health Project, is elected as chairperson of the Michigan 4C Association Board of Directors. The Board meets six times per year. The Board of Directors creates an ad hoc Marketing and Communications Committee. Linda Herbert becomes the chairperson of the committee.

The Michigan 4C Association continues to manage funds for the Michigan Child Care Futures Project. The funds are distributed to the regional 4C offices to address the local training needs of child care providers in their area. The Michigan Child Care Futures Project is the most extensive child care provider training program in the State of Michigan and, through the project, approximately 10% of the child care work force receive training annually. In addition to offering training through the network of 4C offices, the Michigan 4C Association also supports professional development by offering scholarships and cash incentives to child care providers who attain nationally-recognized credentials or accreditation. The Frey Foundation supports the promotion and expansion of efforts to increase national accreditation and the development of articulation agreements for child care credits based on Michigan Child Care Futures with community colleges.

The Michigan Department of Education expands the responsibilities of the Michigan 4C Association to provide services for Early On. The Michigan 4C Association takes over responsibility for the Early On contract with the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan. NACCRRA, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, develops a new database program to assist child care referral offices. Michigan 4C Association purchases the program for all 15 regional 4C offices and forms a committee to develop protocols related to implementing the new program. Omer Ozel is hired to work on this project as well as to maintain the Michigan 4C Association’s computer system and to maintain the Michigan 4C Association web site.

 

2001

The Legislature appropriates additional funds to assist in the creation of new child care spaces and the Family Independence Agency awards the funds to the Michigan 4C Association. The additional funds are for “Start-Up” grants. Rosalyn Chaffin assumes responsibility for the management of this project.

The Marketing Committee develops a public awareness campaign around “One Call for Child Care” (1-866-4-CHILDCARE (1-866-424-4532). Residents of Michigan can call one number that connects the caller with the 4C office that provides services in the caller’s area. The Marketing Committee also develops monthly press releases on child care topics.

The Michigan 4C Association terminates its relationship with the Michigan Department of Education Early On project. The goal of being involved in Early On was to ensure that families had adequate opportunities to find child care for their children with special needs. The Michigan 4C Association continues to work on this goal through its training system, through its EQUIP grants and through advocacy.

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michigan contract is awarded to Michigan 4C Association. The Association bid on and received the grant to administer T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps). The T.E.A.C.H. program provides scholarship assistance and financial rewards to child care providers who pursue college education. T.E.A.C.H. has long been an objective of the Michigan Coalition of Children and Families’ Children’s Agenda. Lisa Brewer is hired as Program Director.

Jani Kozlowski becomes the new Program Specialist in charge of training. Jani begins to work on expanding the roles of 4C trainers (through the development of an infant & toddler curriculum, the development of workshops on accreditation and on creating partnerships with Head Start programs.) Norma Eppinger takes over as the Program Specialist in charge of training in October.

 

2002

Vondie Woodbury is reelected as chairperson of the Michigan 4C Association Board of Directors.

The Michigan 4C Association continues to secure funds to support the work of the regional 4C offices (“Michigan Child Care Futures Project”) and to administer statewide programs to support child care providers (EQUIP, Start-Up grants, Accreditation Scholarships. Incentives for Aides and Relatives and T.E.A.C.H.) and consumers (Women’s Caring Program, “One Call for Child Care). The regional 4C offices continue to provide training in the curricula of “Michigan Child Care Futures” and to train approximately 10% (6,500) of the child care workforce. The “Michigan Child Care Futures Project” now includes three 16-hour series on “Caring for Infants and Toddlers” and a pilot project to increase Head Start/community-based child care partnerships.

The Michigan 4C Association receives a two-year contract from the UAW-Ford and Visteon Family Service Learning Center to create high quality child care in the child care programs of southeast Michigan where UAW, Ford and Visteon employees have their children. Five regional 4C offices participate in the project: Child Care Network, Detroit/Wayne 4C, Livingston 4C, Macomb/St. Clair 4C and Oakland 4C.  The five 4C offices will work with 175 child care providers and will assist them attain national accreditation. The Michigan 4C Association continues to administer the employer-sponsored child care contracts with Americare (for on-site child care consultation for UAW-represented GM employees) and with the University of Michigan (enhanced referrals and child care information for U of M faculty, staff and graduate students).

Through the “Healthy Child Care America” grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Michigan 4C Association supports a “Child Care Expulsion Prevention” initiative. The grant has also permitted the creation of a web-based “child care health resources” information page at the Michigan 4C Association website.

The Public Policy Committee, chaired by Jennie McAlpine, worked on several issues of importance to child care providers and families. The Michigan 4C Association adopted the policy positions of the committee and worked to ensure that school-age care programs were maintained within the child day care licensing system.  Ultimately, the licensing rules were changed and permitted school-age programs operated by schools in schools (where the children attend class) to opt out of the licensing system if the program has a history of at least four years without violations but continued to provide protection of new programs.  The Committee also organized a Gubernatorial Forum on child care issues.  The forum sponsors included the Michigan 4C Association, The Skillman Foundation, Michigan’s Children, Michigan Head Start Association, Michigan Community Action Agency Association, Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health and Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health. Three of the candidates attended the forum. (Jennifer Granholm, who attended the forum, was elected Governor in November.)

The Michigan 4C Association moved to new offices on the Westside of Lansing.

 

2003

Professional development remains a major focus at the Michigan 4C Association. The Michigan Child Care Futures Project, initiated in 1990, continues as the primary training activity in Michigan. In 2003, the Michigan Child Care Futures Project reached 7,188 child care providers or more than 10% of the individuals who work in child care during the year. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michigan has continued to expand and has assisted more than 1,300 child care providers who are working on an associate degree and has helped more than 400 child care providers obtain the CDA credential. Major funding for both the Michigan Child Care Futures Project and T.E.A.C.H. comes from FIA.

In addition to professional development, the Michigan 4C Association continued to award EQUIP grants of up to $3,500 to child care providers to purchase equipment and materials to improve their programs. The “Start-Up” grant, initiated in 2000, has provided funds to 375 individuals and organizations to help establish regulated child care programs.

The Michigan 4C Association continued to produce the “Cost of Care” report. This report is an analysis of local 4C data on the weekly cost of child care. The report shows the cost of care by type of provider by age of child by county. The current report is available at the Michigan 4C Association website. The Association began producing a second report in 2003 called “A Profile of Child Care.” The profile provides information on the availability, the cost and quality of child care in Michigan.

The Michigan 4C Association engaged Michigan Consultants to conduct a management study of the Association’s structure and procedures. The lead investigator, Jake Miklojcik presented his findings to the Board of Directors in November of 2003.

 

2004

One of the most important factors leading to quality education and care for children is the professional qualifications of teachers and staff of early childhood education and care facilities.  To that end, Michigan 4C supported these Professional Development activities:

• Regional 4C offices, under subcontract to the Michigan 4C Association train 7,027 child care providers, parents, relatives and aide providers in 2004.  Many of Michigan’s community colleges and Baker College offer forms of college credit for Futures classes, and Michigan State University offers Continuing Education Units. The “Michigan Child Care Futures” project is funded by FIA. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michigan links training and education to compensation and commitment. Working early childhood professionals can obtain college credits in child development or obtain the national Child Development Associate Credential. Since its inception, the Michigan 4C Association has provided T.E.A.C.H. financial support to more than 2,027 child care providers who are working on their Associate degree.  In the same time period, the T.E.A.C.H. program has awarded more than 737 CDA Assessment Scholarships. In 2004, T.E.A.C.H. introduced a new scholarship for child care providers who have completed their Associate’s degree and wish to obtain a Bachelor’s degree.  The T.E.A.C.H. office has awarded 26 Bachelor degree scholarships and has purchased over 20,000 credits on behalf of T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship recipients.  The T.E.A.C.H. program is funded by FIA.
• Scholarships for Accreditation, funded by FIA, are available for child care centers, family and group child care homes and school age programs to defray much of the cost for nationally-recognized accreditation. National accreditation is an indicator of child care program quality.
• The Community Child Care Network at UAW-Ford and Visteon was established in 2002. The Michigan 4C Association began working with UAW-Ford and Visteon to improve the quality of child care in the programs where UAW-Ford, Ford Motor Company and Visteon employees enroll their children in child care.  Five 4C offices – Child Care Network, Detroit/Wayne 4C, Livingston 4C, Macomb/St. Clair 4C and Oakland 4C – assisted 175 child care providers in obtaining nationally-recognized accreditation. This contract ended in June of 2004.

 

Michigan 4C Association continued to administer EQUIP and Start-Up grants to improve the supply of quality child care. Since its inception in 1997, Michigan 4C has given funds to more than 2,479 child care facilities to purchase equipment and materials.  Since the Association launched the program in 2000, the Michigan 4C Association has given Start-Up awards to more than 500 individuals and organizations to help establish regulated child care programs. The grants pay for equipment and supplies necessary to offer a high quality environment for children. The Association provided grants to child care providers to help educate children about the benefits of gardening and healthy eating habits.  Federal Community Food and Nutrition funds made available through the Family Independence Agency supported the “Soup and Salad” Program. Children had to be involved with the gardening projects as much as possible.  Each project also incorporated nutrition awareness activities, including consumption of items grown served in both raw and cooked forms with snacks/meals. Soup and Salad grants were awarded to 346 child care providers in 2004.  9,242 children benefited from the program, including 2,139 children who receive a state child care subsidy.

Michigan 4C Association supported parents using child care in 2004 by referring them to licensed facilities, publishing consumer information and offering financial support.

• The regional agencies provided more than 50,000 child care referrals to parents in 2004 using the toll-free phone number 1-866-4CHILDCARE (1-866-424-4532) and other contacts.
• Women’s Caring Program. Since 1998, more than 500 children of low-income working parents have received financial support for child care from funds raised by the Women’s Caring Program. 

 

Employer Programs. Four regional 4C offices (Children’s Resource Network, Detroit/Wayne 4C, Kent Regional 4C and Office for Young Children/Ingham Regional 4C) provide consumer information and child care referrals for UAW-represented employees of General Motors.  Child Care Network (Washtenaw Regional 4C) has a contract to provide consumer information and child care referrals for University of Michigan staff and employees.

In the fall of 2003, the Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives established an Early Childhood Education and Care Task Force. The Director of the Michigan 4C Association served as a community leader on the task force. The leaders of the task force conducted hearings across the state to solicit input from parents, child care providers and community leaders. In April 2004, the Early Childhood Education and Care Task Force published its findings and recommendations including: “create a public rating of child care centers, family child care and group child care”; ensure that “High quality early childhood programming should be available to all parents, regardless of income and education”; and “Create a new agency on Early Childhood [that] will coordinate state and federal resources and efforts targeted at early childhood development and bring prominence to the early years of life.”

The Board of Directors of the Michigan 4C Association elected Jennie McAlpine as Chairperson. The Executive Committee included: Deb VanderMolen as Vice-Chairperson, Renee Shaver as Treasurer, Jeff Minore as Secretary and Sheryl Pulley as Chairperson of the Nominations Committee.

 

2005

Professional Development remained a major focus for the Michigan 4C Association. In 2005, the regional 4C offices trained 9,576 child care providers, parents, relatives and aide providers through subcontracts with MI4C that were funded by the Department of Human Services. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhoodâ Michigan continues to provide scholarships that link training and education to compensation and commitment and has purchased over 24,000 credits for child care providers pursuing a Child Development Associate Credential, an Associate degree or a bachelor degree. In 2004, T.E.A.C.H. introduced a new scholarship for child care providers who have completed their Associate degree and wish to obtain a Bachelor degree.  The T.E.A.C.H. program is funded by DHS.

The Michigan 4C Association joined with the University of Michigan to conduct the “Great Start Professional Development Initiative.” The role of 4C in the initiative was to create subcontracts with four community colleges, conduct outreach activities and to award T.E.A.C.H. scholarships to child care providers who became participants in the two-year research grant. The US Department of Education research grant focuses on improving young children’s reading and math skills by providing courses, coaching and other supports to the providers who participate.

The Joyce Foundation provided a two-year grant to the Michigan Council of Foundations for “Early Learning Michigan;” a project to improve early childhood care and education. MI4C collaborated with several child care organizations and the Governor’s Children’s Action Network to improve the quality of child care through the development of a “Quality Rating System,” (the development of which was led by MiAEYC) and the strengthening of the professional development system, looking at Core Knowledge and Core Competencies for Early Childhood Care and Education Professionals and developing comparisons between core knowledge and Michigan Child Care Futures training, and by preparing informational flyers for child care providers to help them identify the appropriate pathway for professional development (led by MI4C).

The year 2005 was the last year that the Michigan 4C Association offered child care providers support to build the supply of quality child care through grants funded by DHS for EQUIP and Start-Up Grants.  Michigan 4C awarded funds to more than 3,000 child care facilities to purchase equipment and materials. 

The Michigan 4C Association holds its first policy conference entitled “Child Care Is Everyone’s Business” in February of 2005. More than 250 leaders from child care, business and government came to hear Art Rolnick, Ph.D., Senior Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis speak on “Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return.” Participants also heard Paul Hillegonds, President, of Detroit Renaissance and Marianne Udow, Director of the MI Department Human Services speak on child care issues. The Skillman Foundation was the major funder of the conference. Additional support came from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Platinum Sponsor) and from: John and Nancy Colina, the “Community Sharing for Healthy Caring” conference, DTE Energy, Kaplan Early Learning Company, Livingston County 4C Council and Oakland County 4C Council (Silver sponsors).

The Public Outreach and Education Committee of the Michigan 4C Association Board of Directors developed a campaign to honor the contribution that quality child care makes to families of working parents and the Michigan economy as a whole. In April, the Month of the Young Child, 4C offices conducted Child Care Works! Action Week. Children decorated “handprint” activity sheets and parents wore stickers supporting their provider and quality child care. The decorated activity sheets were forwarded to the legislators that represent the districts in which the child care programs operate.

The Governor announced the creation of the Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). The Governor named the Board of Directors of the ECIC in June of 2005 and established an office in the fall of the year. One of the first activities of the new ECIC was to manage the review and awarding of contracts for professional development and for child care resource and referral services.

 

2006

Jeremy Reuter becomes the new director of the T.E.A.C.H. program at Michigan 4C Association.

In July, the Board of Directors of the voted on a new board structure. A Board of Directors comprised of 15 members replaced the 32-member board structure. The new board structure includes 12 community leaders and three 4C regional office directors. The 4C regional office directors elected the three board members that will represent the interest of the Association members. The new Board of Directors elected Bob Parks as chairperson, Jackie Wood as Vice-Chairperson, Joan Deschamps as Treasurer and Kendra Curtiss as Secretary. Sue Allen was elected as chair of the Nominating Committee.

In January, the Michigan 4C Association entered into subcontracts with the ECIC for Child Care Resource and Referral Services, Professional Development activities (training, scholarships and incentives for accreditation, and incentives for aide and relative caregivers who complete training) and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michiganâ. The Michigan 4C Association created subcontracts with the regional 4C offices for Child Care Resource & Referral Services and for Professional Development (provider training).

The Michigan 4C Association completed its portion of the work on the Joyce-funded Early Learning Michigan project with the development of recommendations on child care professional development. The Great Start Professional Development project, headed by the University of Michigan, continues for a third year with an emphasis on on-line courses that teach literacy and math skill development to child care providers.

The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) established a quality accreditation program for child care resource and referral agencies. The directors of the 16 regional 4C offices agreed in 1995 to pursue the national accreditation and to work together to help each other in the process. By the end of 2006, nine regional 4C offices had already received their national accreditation: 4C of the Upper Peninsula, Child and Family Services/Northeast MI 4C, Child Care Connections/Northwest MI 4C, Child Care Network, Child Care Resources, Kent Regional 4C (the first office to complete the process and receive its accreditation), Oakland 4C Council, Office for Young Children and Saginaw Valley Regional 4C.

Robert Phillips becomes the new Business Manager.

 

2007

The newly-formed Board of Directors of the Michigan 4C Association developed a new strategic plan for the Association in 2007. The plan was based on a vision and mission that the Michigan 4C Association should promote and advocate for the optimal care and development of Michigan's children and families through the statewide Community Coordinated Child Care (4C) Network. The Michigan 4C Association would continue to provide a statewide focus to support the work of the local/regional 4C offices by conducting research, coordinating services and managing business, foundation and government contracts.

The mission was operationalized by working with the regional 4C offices to increase the supply of quality child care programs, to provide information, referrals and child care financial support and by offering child care provider professional development opportunities.

The Michigan 4C Association carried out the requirements of funding contracts from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) by supporting the work of the regional 4C offices as they:

 

• Worked with potential and existing child care providers to create 14,500 new spaces in regulated programs
• Trained 2,500 child care providers (47,000 hours of training)
• Provided 35,000 care referrals over the phone and on-line for parents needing child care.

 

The staff at the Michigan 4C Association office also worked to achieve the stated mission by:

 

• Managing the Women’s Caring Program’s Child Care Commitment Awards by administering this privately-funded child care financial assistance program and awarding more than $200,000 to over 80 low-income, working families
• Managing scholarships and incentives for regulated child care providers who worked to attain national accreditation.
• Managing the T.E.A.C.H. program statewide and awarding 870 new scholarships so that child care providers could pursue their associate or bachelor degree in child development.
• Working with the University of Michigan and Baker College to conduct federally-funded research on literacy development.

 

In September, the Board of Directors, led by the Public Outreach and Education Committee, successfully conducted its first reception and silent auction to raise funds dedicated to increasing the quality of child care in Michigan.

 

2008

 

The regional 4C offices and the Michigan 4C Association office continued to work on the mission and vision as they have done since 4C was started in Michigan in 1972. The regional 4C offices focused on child care information and referral services and on child care provider professional development as well as local initiatives to address child care needs. The Association office continued its work of contract management for the ECIC (T.E.A.C.H., Accreditation Incentives, training incentives) and for the Women’s Caring Program (child care financial assistance).

 

With leadership from the Board’s Training Committee, several of the regional 4C offices explored new modes of delivering training to providers. Adding the time-consuming tasks of coaching and home-visiting to the array of professional development opportunities offered did not reduce outcomes for the year. In fact, the regional 4C offices trained more providers for more hours in 2008 than in 2007.

 

	2007	2008
Providers trained	2,600	3,700
Hours of training	47,000 hrs	55,000 hrs

 

Erica Willard became the Director of the T.E.A.C.H. program in July. Mark Sullivan retired in September as Executive Director after 20 years of service to children of the state through 4C. The 4C Board of Directors appointed Norma Eppinger to provide leadership for the Association.