BridgeCare

Team BridgeCare had a blast at #BUILD25 in Los Angeles this week. These three days were packed with important conversations about our early childhood systems, led by those who are out there BUILDING something better for tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with Julia Barfield, Keller Anne Ruble, and Sheraton J.! We'll see you again soon.

The power of tech-enabled efficiencies and human-centered design are common themes for Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program (UPK). ICYMI, Route Fifty profiled our role in helping Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood modernize preschool enrollment. We’re proud to be part of the team that is delivering: Faster, simpler enrollment through a streamlined online experience that has helped UPK attain unprecedented growth in Pre-K participation. Reduced friction for families and providers and more accurate data for state leaders. The receipts are in. 70% of eligible four-year-olds enrolled in 2023–24, up nearly 150% from the prior year. Parent satisfaction rates have remained consistently high throughout. The approach is working.  Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gHT7vacy

Why does it matter if an ECE software vendor is white labeled? As a government agency or nonprofit serving the early care and education community, your technology infrastructure should represent your brand, your integrity, and your mission. When providers and families visit their respective portals from your website, they shouldn’t feel the jarring impact of entering a whole new experience plastered with the logo and branding of some software company they’ve never heard of. They shouldn’t have to leave your site at all. Why does this matter? The processes of finding care, applying for subsidy, and running an early education program are complicated enough as it is. The more variables you introduce, the more potential for confusion. A disconnected experience results in avoidable barriers to family and provider participation and less enthusiasm for your program.

Our team gained so much by attending the Child Care Aware of America’s Leadership Institute last month. Three key takeaways that we’re still thinking and talking about include: Digital transformation is a priority. From the opening plenary through the last day, one common thread was a desire among CCR&Rs to move on from filing cabinets and paper processes for good. The momentum toward modern data and technology infrastructure is undeniable.  Referrals aren’t what they used to be. As more parents turn to self-service options, CCR&Rs are reallocating resources from traditional call referrals to provide value in new and innovative ways. We look forward to highlighting that evolution in the months to come.   Systems thinking is at the heart of decision making. Incremental improvements aren’t enough. We’re seeing more interest than ever in a big-picture reimagining of what the system of systems that make up our early care and education ecosystem could and should look like.

Marketing matters when it comes to increasing enrollment in local and regional child care subsidy programs. If families don’t know what’s out there for them, they won’t sign up. Our latest blog draws on our experience supporting effective local subsidies to surface ten ways local and regional organizations and governments can help drive participation, getting more affordable, high-quality care to the kids and families that need it. https://lnkd.in/gz9NX-Vu

Congratulations to Mesa County Partnership for Children & Families on surpassing the 1,500 search milestone this year! "BridgeCare has actually been a big game changer for me and our kiddo, especially in finding a safe environment for him. The first time I searched for childcare it took two weeks of making calls only to be on a waiting list because they are full. With BridgeCare I was able to reach out directly to the people who actually had openings after I read all their ratings online,” said local mother, Elizabeth Riley. Mesa County, Colorado, continues to demonstrate how a data-driven approach to child care, combined with the right tools, can lead to better experiences for families, positive outcomes for providers, and a stronger local economy. https://lnkd.in/gQTpgdw3

The ECE community is a tight-knit group of passionate, high-performing, dedicated professionals who pour years or even decades of their lives into improving the system from the inside. Few are as connected as Keller Anne Ruble, whose journey has spanned so many different parts of the system, from policy and research to philanthropy and tech. Did you know Keller Anne started as a 7th grade science teacher? How do philanthropies measure their impact on investments that have a -100% return for them? Is public policy these days more West Wing or Veep?  Get to know our very own Solutions Architect in our most recent installment of the popular Faces of ECE series: https://lnkd.in/gW9TFmcv

The federal government shutdown continues with no end in sight, even as SNAP programs are running out of funding, crucial ECE grants are frozen, and more than 100 November Head Start grantees are at risk of closing their doors to thousands of children. In other news, the Administration for Children and Families offered updated guidance on the priorities and principles that will guide their funding decisions. Also included: Updates from Texas, Arkansas, a new brief on child poverty, and a couple of local tax credit initiatives. Get caught up on everything you missed with our October ECE Legislation and Policy update: https://lnkd.in/g-NBbuFY.

Congratulations to Colorado for leading the way on early childhood resource availability for working parents. The state is not only providing the necessary funding for these programs; they have also taken great strides to improve awareness and accessibility for families. We are proud to support this work through our partnership with the state on the groundbreaking Raising Colorado Kids Early Childhood Services Finder, the first-ever implementation of BridgeCare’s Helping Understand Benefits (HUB) product. HUB serves as a one-stop shop eligibility screener for over 20 programs and services throughout the state in a way that is clear, equitable, and easy for families to use. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/giHT55Hj

Why is it so hard to find child care? It’s a question that shouldn’t be this hard to answer. In the debut season of our new podcast, Child Care Matters: Built to Break, we’ve partnered with a diverse group of leaders, experts, and stakeholders to tell the story of what’s working (and what’s not) in America’s child care system. As the season progresses, we’ll be moving from “what’s broken” to “what are we going to do about it?” Here’s a sneak peek at some of the topics we’ll cover:  • The root causes behind the lack of child care supply in the U.S • How this intertwined “system of systems” is set up to fail • The innovative solutions being implemented at every level across the country Watch the trailer now, and stay tuned for our first episode, coming soon.