History
Our History
The Alliance for Kids was created in 1996 to ensure that all children in El Paso County have access to quality childcare.
The El Paso County Department of Human Services (EPC-DHS) and local early childhood professionals developed a strategic plan and process for implementing quality early child care and education programs. Over 50 key stakeholders formed the Alliance including parents, early care and education providers, school districts, higher education institutions, health organizations and community agencies.
A Pilot
In 1997, the Alliance for Kids became a Colorado Consolidated Child Care Pilot. As a Pilot council the Alliance was able to request waivers to rules and regulations that created barriers for children and families' access to quality child care. The Alliance also obtained technical assistance in creating an early childhood system of care. The Pilot designation allowed the Alliance and its members to apply for additional funding which has resulted in well over five million dollars in new child care dollars flowing into the county.
As a result of the Alliance's successful work, El Paso County Dept. of Human Services and El Paso County Dept. of Health & Environment implemented the following strategies.
- Increased reimbursement rates for child care services delivered to child welfare and low-income families
- Initiated on-site enrollment in child care centers and homes for low-income child care subsidies
- Co-located regional Resources and Referral personnel at El Paso County Dept. of Human Services and El Paso County Dept. of Health & Environment offices, so each family's child care needs could be individually matched with available child care resources
- Enriched programs educationally through technical assistance and shared resources
Hunt Elementary School Family Literacy Program
One of the earliest projects of the Alliance for Kids was the Hunt Elementary School Family Literacy Program. This program combined funding and services for families whose primary language was not English, or who had not completed high school. Unused classroom space was used for an adult classroom and a child care center for infants and toddlers. Parents engaged in welfare reform activities took English language and GED classes, while their children were cared for in an adjacent, licensed child care setting. Funding for the Family Literacy Program came from Colorado Springs School District #11 and the El Paso County Dept. of Human Services and El Paso County Dept. of Health & Environment's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The Child Care Response Team
The Alliance was instrumental in supporting and launching this program designed to meet the needs of at-risk children 0–8 years exhibiting behavioral, emotional, mental or physical problems and to increase the competencies of their parents and caregivers. The Child Care Response Team conducted early identification, screening and intervention services for children in their early education/child care settings by a team of Early Childhood Liaisons (ECLs). It was holistic in nature, encompassing the child, parents, and early education specialists. The goal was for El Paso County's young children to have consistent, quality child care, including early problem identification and intervention in order to remain in their child care setting and be better ready for school.
Award in 2004
The Alliance for Kids was cited in a 2004 award from the National Association of Counties for its “…tremendous work and innovative ideas in caring for and about the county’s children and families.” A study by the Rockefeller Institute of Government looked at El Paso County’s collaborations (Service Integration in Colorado: Connecting Programs to Provide Better Services in Mesa and El Paso Counties, November 2002) and concluded: “In providing benefits and services, El Paso County conducts thorough needs assessments and take steps to provide appropriate services, regardless of programmatic boundaries…programs and services are provided as a continuum rather than separately…This is accomplished in a number of ways—assessing for multiple needs through a common intake process, going beyond co-location to create teams that include staff from multiple programs, partnering of county agencies and local service providers at the leadership and staff levels, and a shared vision that is continually reinforced.”