Priorities
children in 12 of
A Call to Action
Research continues to demonstrate the importance of babies and young children getting what they need to grow and develop . When this does not happen, it can have a long lasting negative impact on their future success later in life. Unfortunately, there are a number of systemic barriers that prevents this from happening.
There are not enough programs/ services to meet the needs of children and families in the region. As a result of a dwindling workforce, the capacity of early childhood education and care programs has been reduced in addition, children in the smaller towns and unincorporated areas do not have access to the same resources as their counterparts living in the larger communities. Families needing child care are facing rising costs, forcing them to make alternate arrangements that may not be in the best interest of their young children.
A teacher shortage/staffing crisis is limiting the capacity of current programs and/ or new programs to grow
Families continue to face barriers to accessing the programs and services they need to thrive, especially those living in the most rural areas
Communities do not prioritize the needs of children in families in policies, planning, funding, or decision making
There are not enough early childhood education and care programs in southern Illinois to meet the needs of children and families, especially children age birth to three years of age.
On average, just over
Less than
Coalition members believe that ALL children should have access to the programs and services they need to succeed.
Engaging Stakeholders
Working closely with a consultant from the Tamarack Institute, Coalition leaders facilitated a comprehensive strategic planning process from September 2020 through June 2021. The strategic planning process was designed to include a strong level of engagement from a diverse pool of community stakeholders from across the region. By engaging these stakeholders, Coalition leaders were able to tap into a broader range of perspectives, knowledge, and experiences. Participating in the priority-setting process encouraged stakeholders to feel more ownership and commitment to the Coaltiion’s work. This approach strengthened the strategic planning process to increase the Coalition’s chances of achieving the desired results
The Coalition's Strategic Priorities 2021-2025
At the culmination of the strategic planning process , the Governance Council identified and adopted five strategic priority areas to be the focus of the Coalition’s work from 2021-2025. These areas include:
Child-centered Communities
School Readiness
Screening
Strong Families
Early Childhood Workforce
Creating Blueprints to Do the Work
Once the strategic priority areas were adopted, a Collective Impact blueprint (or work plan) was developed to guide the work that results in systems change. The work plans are developed and implemented by priority-specific Action Teams. These plans include clarifying the problem(s) they are trying to address, identifying a goal or common agenda for their work, creating objectives or mutually reinforcing activities, and identifying desirable results with measurable outcomes.
Community System Partners
Systems changes require coordination, communication, and CONNECTIONS between community members and groups. To that end, Coalition members have been intentional in making connections/ links with other community coalitions, collaborations, and initiatives. Current community system partnerships include:
