This brief is part of a series that looks at investment and innovation in the early care and education (ECE) sector as well as the need for widely available and affordable options that allow parents to participate in the labor market. The series is brought to you by the Federal Reserve’s Early Care and Education Group, which supports the Federal Reserve’s mandate to pursue maximum employment by researching the role the ECE sector plays in promoting labor force participation and thriving economies.
The brief focuses on three key areas:
- Factors that limit the supply of care
- How public investments compare on a per child basis
- Ways local organizations and governments are addressing supply-side constraints
The Third District Connection: Innovation in Delaware
As early care and education (ECE) providers across the country face challenges when it comes to keeping their doors open, the brief highlights an innovative program in the Third District state of Delaware.
Delaware’s Early Childhood Innovation Center rolled out a program to incentivize ECE professionals to earn postsecondary degrees and is developing a statewide scholarship that would open doors for aspiring and current ECE professionals to obtain nationally recognized credentials. By increasing economic opportunities for ECE workers, these programs aim to increase staff retention for providers and increase the quality of care that children receive — outcomes that benefit all.