Partnering to Meet the Child Care Needs of Parents in Education and Training: Four Profiles of Collaboration

R E S E A R C H R E P O R T Partnering to Meet the Child Care Needs of Parents in Education and Training Four Profiles of Collaboration Teresa Derrick-Mills Caroline Heller Gina Adams April 2016 A B O U T T H E U R B A N I N S TI T U T E The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Copyright © April 2016. Urban Institute. Permission is granted for reproduction of this file, with attribution to the Urban Institute. Photo via Shutterstock. Contents Acknowledgments iv Partnering to Meet the Child Care Needs of Parents in Education and Training 1 Background 1 An Overview of the Collaborations 4 Key Elements 5 Funding 8 Common Challenges 8 Lessons Learned 10 Keeping It Going: Why is It Worth It? 12 Conclusion 14 Collaborations: Four Profiles 15 Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative: Department of Higher Education, Department of Human Services, and Department of Workforce Services 15 Basic Food Employment and Training and Child Care Subsidy: Department of Social and Health Services and Department of Early Learning 21 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Child Care Services Association 26 4C for Children and Chatfield College 31 Notes 36 References 37 About the Authors 39 Statement of Independence 40 IV A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S Acknowledgments This report was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We are grateful to them and to all our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. Funders do not determine research findings or the insights and recommendations of Urban experts. Further information on the Urban Institute’s funding principles is available at www.urban.org/support. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Patrick Hain of the Annie E. Casey Foundation for his support of this project. We are particularly grateful for the time and insights provided by the individuals involved in the four partnerships who shared their insights and experiences with us, including: Karon Rosa, Director of Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative, Arkansas Department of Higher Education; Tonya Williams, Director, Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, Arkansas Department of Human Services; David Skaar, BFET Program Manager, Washington Department of Social and Health Services; Kellye Monahan, Program Manager, Child Care Subsidy Programs, Washington Department of Social and Health Services; Nikkia Sheppard Lynch, Business Officer, Finance and Academic Planning, Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Vivian Eto, Director of Family Support Services, Linda Chappel, Senior Vice President, Triangle Area Child Care Resource and Referral Services, and Kelly Eppley, Scholarship Program Manager, Child Care Services Association; Vanessa Freytag, President and CEO, and Carolyn Brinkmann, Director of Parent Services, 4C for Children; John Tafaro, President, Wanda Hill, Associate Dean/Site Director, and Sister Patricia Homan, Vice President of Mission and Identity, Chatfield College. Finally, we would like to thank Curtis Dann-Messier and Bruce Liggett who provided comments on the draft report. Partnering to Meet the Child Care Needs of Parents in Education and Training Child care can be a major challenge for low-income parents who want to participate in education or training to improve their employability and future earnings. One promising approach is to develop collaborations between those who provide education and training services to families and those involved in meeting their child care needs. This report profiles four innovative collaborations working to bridge this gap. Two of these are between colleges and child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies; these partnerships focus on helping student parents understand and find child care options. The other two are between state child care subsidy agencies and state agencies that run education and training programs; these partnerships focus on helping parents get child care subsidies so they can participate in education and training. This report is written for two audiences: for education and training providers looking for new ways to help their students/clients with children succeed, and for child care support organizations looking for new ways to reach parents and meet their child care needs. These profiles provide useful insights into how, by working together, these organizations can support the needs of two generations as the p