High-quality child care prior to kindergarten has well-known academic, social, and economic benefits. In the short-term, early childhood care and education increases school readiness and academic success. It also helps parents to fully participate in the workforce. In the long-term, it increases children’s lifelong achievement and attainment; promotes their health and well-being; and contributes to economic success for families and communities.
There is an urgent need to increase equitable access to high-quality early childhood care and education in Frederick County.
To address this need, the Frederick County Office for Children & Families (OCF), together with the Frederick County Interagency Early Childhood Committee (IECC), is working with Public Policy Associates and Solomon Evaluation to:
- Identify existing capacity and gaps in regulated child care.
- Define the economic drivers and educational impact of early childhood care and education quality in the county.
- Collect the community-driven insights to guide the development of local solutions.
Your Voice Matters
Over 2023, there will be many opportunities for residents to contribute. The project plans include:
- Community Advisory Board
- Family survey and focus groups
- Provider survey and interviews
- Community input/information sessions
Check back for new information and project updates regularly. Notices will also be shared on the social media pages for the project.
Focus Groups Enrollment- Now Open
The Frederick County Office for Children and Families wants to improve access to high quality child care. Our research team is talking to families about their child care choices — including their choice not to use child care — for infants, toddlers, and children who are too young for school.
Now we are hosting focus groups in the community to explore families’ perspectives in greater depth. More information is available in both English and Spanish (links below):
- Please click here for more information.
- Haga clic aquí para obtener más información.
The focus groups will take place in August and September. Each participant will receive $60 from Public Policy Associates. We hope to hear from you!
Family Survey- Closed
Thank you to the almost 1,400 families that participated in our survey!
This survey was part of the ongoing Child Care Market Study that aims to understand child care supply and demand in the context of community member values and experiences.
For those that contributed, your feedback will be helping the County develop innovative strategies to improve access to child care.
Child Care Provider Survey- Closed
The online survey of child care providers that offer child care to young children (ages 0-5 not in kindergarten) is now closed. This survey asked about child care services, experiences, and plans.
For those who contributed, your feedback will help the County develop innovative strategies to support the child care market.
Thank you!
Public Policy Associates and Solomon Evaluation
This study is being conducted by Public Policy Associates and Solomon Evaluation.
Public Policy Associates was founded in 1991 and is located in Lansing, Michigan. We serve clients in the public, private, and nonprofits sectors at the national, state, and local levels by conducting research and evaluation that supports informed decision-making. In addition to a wide range of research expertise, the staff have experience in early childhood care and education, K-12 educational outcomes, workforce and economic development, and strategic planning.
Solomon Evaluation has served the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area since 2015. Led by Dr. Shira Solomon, Solomon Evaluation advances learning outcomes in schools and social services agencies.