Annamaria Orlandi 9/12/24 Annamaria Orlandi 9/12/24

Beyond the Pod: Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change on Young Children

In episode four of our hit podcast, “No One Is Coming to Save Us”, we hear from Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician and associate professor at Stanford University, who discusses the physical and mental ways that climate change impacts kids.

Florence Forges 9/5/24 Florence Forges 9/5/24

Beyond the Pod: Addressing the Housing Crisis

Episode three of our hit podcast “No One Is Coming To Save Us” takes on the issue of housing. We hear firsthand experience from Caitlin Liversidge who became pregnant and homeless last year and has since moved through transitional housing into her own apartment with her healthy two-month-old daughter.

Annamaria Orlandi 8/29/24 Annamaria Orlandi 8/29/24

Beyond The Pod: Addressing Early Relational Health in Early Childhood Education

Meet Lisa Garcia, our new Director of Early Relational Health

Annamaria Orlandi 8/27/24 Annamaria Orlandi 8/27/24

Policy Pulse #4

In this issue, we share additional analysis on the impact of the Massachusetts state budget and gear up for the fall by looking ahead to forthcoming EEC meetings, Task Force and other reports, and events this September.

Annamaria Orlandi 8/22/24 Annamaria Orlandi 8/22/24

Beyond the Pod: Empowering Economic Mobility Through Early Education

The first episode in Season 4, Empowering Economic Mobility Through Early Education, explores how early education can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Florence Forges 8/15/24 Florence Forges 8/15/24

Trend of Investor-Backed Child Care Highlights Need for Public Investment in Sector

Can you imagine if Morgan Stanley owned your child’s 4th grade class? And operated it in order to make a profit? If this seems crazy to you, we agree.

Florence Forges 8/9/24 Florence Forges 8/9/24

Policy Pulse #3

In exciting news, the Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget has been passed by the State Legislature and is on its way to Governor Maura Healey's desk for signature. There's a lot to celebrate in this year's state budget, as it includes landmark policy and funding for early education and care. In this issue of Neighborhood Villages’ Policy Pulse, we dive further into the FY25 state budget, share important updates from the Commonwealth’s Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), and provide more details on how you can provide input to Governor Healey’s Interagency Taskforce on Early Education and Child Care. Let’s dive in!

Annamaria Orlandi 8/8/24 Annamaria Orlandi 8/8/24

Celebrating Momentous Child Care Policy Reforms in the FY25 State Budget

The policy provisions in the FY25 budget create a framework that will make child care more affordable for more families, improve compensation for educators, and provide the child care field with more stability.

Annamaria Orlandi 7/22/24 Annamaria Orlandi 7/22/24

Early Education and Care July Policy Updates

Check out the latest Early Education and Care policy updates for the month of July.

Annamaria Orlandi 7/10/24 Annamaria Orlandi 7/10/24

Apprenticeships Offer a Promising Solution to our Child Care Workforce Shortage

The early education and child care sector is facing a significant workforce shortage, with the child care field still down 40,000 workers nationally since before the pandemic and alarmingly high turnover rates. Nationally, over 100,000 early educators have left the field since the pandemic with job levels for the child care sector still significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

Annamaria Orlandi 6/21/24 Annamaria Orlandi 6/21/24

Policy Pulse #2

Welcome to issue two of Neighborhood Villages’ Policy Pulse. In this issue we dive into the most recent Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Board meeting, share more details on what’s on the table in this year’s Massachusetts state budget, and share more about Governor Maura Healey’s Interagency Early Education and Care Task Force.

Florence Forges 6/14/24 Florence Forges 6/14/24

RECAP of the June EEC Board Meeting: The Plan for C3 Grants and Updates on Reform of Residential Regulations

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

Annamaria Orlandi 6/13/24 Annamaria Orlandi 6/13/24

One Educator’s Journey From Child Care Provider to College Graduate

Bortolotto’s journey from a family child care provider to a college graduate is a testament to the power of education and the importance of having support systems in place to achieve professional growth.

Annamaria Orlandi 5/31/24 Annamaria Orlandi 5/31/24

Introducing: The Policy Pulse

We are excited to introduce Neighborhood Villages’ first Policy Pulse - a guide to all things early education and care. In each issue, you will find an overview of what’s happening with Massachusetts and national child care policy and information on what you can do to take action and join the movement for a transformed early education and care system.

Florence Forges 5/28/24 Florence Forges 5/28/24

This Mental Health Awareness Month, Recognizing the Need For Behavioral Health Supports For Our Youngest Children

May marks the 75th annual Mental Health Awareness Month, and at Neighborhood Villages, we are using it as an opportunity to advocate for more support for children’s behavioral health needs and to provide an update on our work to address this critical issue.

Annamaria Orlandi 5/15/24 Annamaria Orlandi 5/15/24

Launching Our New Play-Based Toddler Curriculum, Co-Created with Educators

At Neighborhood Villages, we are committed to addressing inequity in the early childhood education field—and we know that begins with focusing on the needs of our youngest learners and their dedicated educators.

Katie Ward 4/30/24 Katie Ward 4/30/24

New Report Compares Direct-to-Provider Grants to Child Care Financial Assistance, Finds They are a Key Funding Lever for Improving Child Care Quality, Accessibility, and Affordability

Florence Forges 4/24/24 Florence Forges 4/24/24

We Must Address the Child Care Crisis to Advance Racial Justice and Equity

Our nation’s broken child care system is one of the greatest drivers of racial inequality. It is a system based on unjustly free or low wage labor, built on the backs of women and predominantly women of color.

Florence Forges 4/22/24 Florence Forges 4/22/24

RECAP of the April EEC Board Meeting: Executive Order 625 and Workforce Development

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

Annamaria Orlandi 3/5/24 Annamaria Orlandi 3/5/24

RECAP of the March EEC Board Meeting: Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) and Child Care Financial Assistance Programs

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

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