Newsletter | October 2025 | | Making Child Care More Affordable for San Mateo County Families | |
For many families in San Mateo County, child care costs more than rent or a mortgage. Parents are sometimes forced to leave the workforce, cut back on hours, or make long commutes just to find care they can afford. These challenges affect not only parents’ peace of mind but also children’s well-being and the ability of families to stay in our communities.
Supervisors Jackie Speier and Lisa Gauthier have been holding community town halls to hear directly from parents and caregivers about these issues. They have listened to stories about the difficult tradeoffs families make and the sacrifices parents face when accessible child care is out of reach.
In response, they are championing ideas that could bring meaningful change for San Mateo County families. This includes exploring new funding measures to make child care more affordable and testing models where the cost is shared among families, employers, and government. These efforts build on what other Bay Area counties are already doing to support families and keep child care programs open.
We know that when child care is high-quality, affordable, and reliable, children thrive and parents can better support their families. That is the future Supervisors Speier and Gauthier are working toward in San Mateo County.
Learn more in this KQED article.
| | Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season | |
Cold and flu season is here, and keeping your family healthy starts with simple everyday steps. Washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and keeping children home when they’re sick all help prevent germs from spreading.
One of the best ways to stay healthy is getting a flu shot. San Mateo County Health recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive a flu shot this year to protect themselves and their loved ones. The flu vaccine is safe, effective, and helps reduce the chances of serious illness. It also helps keep schools, child care centers, and workplaces healthier by lowering the spread of the flu in our community.
San Mateo County families can learn more and find trusted resources here:
| | |
Building Strong Foundations Through Economic Stability
| | |
Financial stability during a child’s earliest years makes a lasting difference. Children in economically secure homes are more likely to stay healthy, succeed in school, and thrive into adulthood. Even a small amount of financial wiggle room can allow parents to invest in what matters most, their children’s growth and well-being.
Investing in families during early childhood is also one of the best investments we can make as a community. According to the Heckman Curve, every dollar invested in quality early childhood supports, especially in the first 5 years, yields a high return in better health, education, and economic outcomes for children and society.
Recent findings reaffirm this. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that the temporary 2021 expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) reduced child poverty in the U.S. by nearly half, lifting more than 2 million children above the poverty line.
That is why First 5 San Mateo County supports programs, like the Baby Bonus, and policies that give families the financial stability they need. Together, we can ensure every child has the strong start they deserve.
Learn more about guaranteed income and child well-being from the Guaranteed Income Community of Practice, and explore our family resources.
| | |
Let's Read San Mateo County: Support for Young Readers
| |
Now that children are settled into the school year, it’s a great time to check in on how your child is doing with reading. If your child needs extra support, Let’s Read San Mateo County offers literacy resources designed for families.
On the site, you’ll find:
- Age and grade-level milestones that show what skills children are working on throughout the year.
- Tips and strategies for practicing reading at home.
- Guidance in multiple languages, including the importance of reading in your home language.
- Resources for children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or additional needs, including children under age 3 with Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs) through Early Start or Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC), so every child can get the support they deserve.
Explore resources and tools for families at Let’s Read San Mateo County.
|
|
Sign Up for Free Books with the Imagination Library
| |
Families can also nurture a love of reading at home with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of San Mateo County, an initiative of San Mateo County Libraries. This free program mails a high-quality, age-appropriate book to your child each month from birth to age five. Reading together helps children build strong early literacy skills and creates lasting memories.
Sign up today to start receiving free books in the mail for your child.
|
| |
Early Childhood Climate Action: Creating Safer, Healthier Spaces for Children
| |
Climate change affects where children live, learn, and play. Rising heat, wildfire smoke, and flooding pose real challenges for families, and child care facilities are often left out of climate planning. To address this, Build Up San Mateo County is leading a Climate Resiliency Initiative that is the first of its kind in the nation.
The initiative includes:
-
A countywide Early Childhood Climate Action Plan that outlines how child care can be part of local climate strategies, funding, and infrastructure planning.
- New resources for providers, including toolkits, facility design guidance, and grants to support upgrades such as air filtration systems, resilient landscaping, and shaded play areas
- Partnerships across sectors, from government and environmental groups to businesses and philanthropic leaders, working together to protect children and support families.
By embedding climate solutions into early learning spaces, Build Up is helping ensure that children have safe, healthy environments today and in the years to come.
Learn more about Build Up’s Climate Resiliency Initiative.
| | Thank you to the parents, caregivers, and community partners who work every day to support San Mateo County’s children and families. |
| | | |
