Child Care Design Workshop for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Designers
We are excited to be partnering with studioMLA architects to host a one day virtual workshop on Child Care Design. This workshop has been developed to assist architects, landscape architects, and design professionals in better understanding the basic elements, parameters, and strategies for designing spaces for Early Care and Education settings – which has been especially important over the last two years.
 
The goals of this workshop are:
  • To communicate key components and considerations for creating healthy and high quality children’s environments.
  • To highlight examples of spaces that work to support innovative curriculum.
  • To help participants to learn new ways of thinking about environments that will enable them to create strategies to improve their work on similar projects.
  • To expand on LISC’s Qualified Consultant’s List for Rhode Island child care providers seeking professionals with specific knowledge in early learning design. 
 
This course will take place over one day on Thursday, November 18th, 2021 in 3 virtual sessions (a formal agenda will be sent in advance of the workshop). If you are interested in attending, or know someone who might be interested, you can use the button below to register!
Online Workshops Available
Did you know that LISC currently offers four online training modules on the physical environment of child care spaces? These sessions are intended to give you a new and engaging way to access information at your own convenience. These self-guided, interactive workshops were developed for child care center directors, owners, education coordinators, facility managers, school leaders, architects, landscape designers, and individuals working to support centers and schools in their continuous quality improvement efforts. Each workshop completed can count towards three approved professional development credits.
Take a look at our brochure to learn more about this and other resources available: LISC Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund Brochure
Provider Spotlight:
Emma's Home Day Care
LISC RI recently shared a report on the results of the first wave of the City of Providence Early Learning Facilities Improvement grants. These grants were provided to child care and early learning programs in Providence through a competitive application process. The partnership between the City of Providence and LISC has so far delivered more than $600,000 in grants and technical assistance to Providence-based providers to improve the quality of facilities. The application for a second wave of funding totaling $315,000 recently closed with funding decisions to be announced soon!
 
The report featured a project at Emma's Home Day Care facility, which included critical outdoor renovations to improve the health, safety, and quality of the outdoor space for children and families.
 
Please watch here to see a video of the transformation: Emma's Home Day Care Facility Video
Take Action for Dedicated Child Care Facility Funds
High-quality child care facilities are essential to a healthy and sustainable child care ecosystem, yet there are currently no dedicated federal resources to acquire, construct, or majorly renovate child care facilities. Urgent action is needed and the National Children's Facilities Network (NCFN)'s website has a Take Action page with various resources and steps you can take to help support standalone child care facility funds. Dedicated, standalone funding is critical to help leverage other investments that are necessary to help support equitable access to high-quality early learning opportunities in our communities.
The Bipartisan Policy Center's Why a Federal Investment in Quality Child Care Facilities is Necessary includes the following talking points:

  1. The safety and security of our nation's children is on the line
  2. Parents can't go to work without child care facilities and there simply aren't enough
  3. The early childhood workforce directly benefits from investments in child care facilities
  4. Child care providers need dedicated federal funding to support the improvement and new construction of child care facilities

You can also read LISC's Why Facilities Matter two-pager here: Four reasons policymakers need to address physical facilities.
The Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund (RICCELFF) is an innovative public-private partnership dedicated to expanding access to quality child care and early education opportunities throughout Rhode Island. The RICCELFF provides the capital and technical expertise that child care and early learning centers need to improve the quality and capacity of their physical space. The RICCELFF provides a combination of training, technical assistance, grant funding and flexible, affordable financing for a wide range of indoor and outdoor projects including minor renovations or construction of new, state-of-the art facilities and playground spaces. Click here to learn more about what the RICCELFF can offer your program.
Building Solutions for Rhode Island’s Children