WILLIMANTIC, CT - Local legislators and community leaders convened Friday at EASTCONN's Community Learning Center in Willimantic to address childcare challenges facing northeastern Connecticut families. The Northeast Connecticut Childcare Needs (NCCN) Initiative hosted the meeting to discuss solutions to what they describe as a "trilemma" of access, affordability, and quality in early childhood education.

The January 31st gathering highlighted a critical workforce cycle that impacts both families and childcare providers: low wages and entry barriers discourage qualified professionals from entering the field, while attempts to raise wages increase costs for families already struggling to afford care. "Childcare providers in our region receive significantly lower reimbursement rates compared to other parts of Connecticut, creating an unsustainable situation where providers lose wages while families cannot afford the true cost of care," said Maggie Francis-Gietzen, NCCN Program Manager.

State legislators in attendance, including Senator Mae Flexer and Representatives Tim Ackert, Gregg Haddad, and Susan Johnson, heard proposals for no- and low-cost solutions to attract and retain early childhood educators. The discussion included innovative approaches, such as flexibility in developing early child care certification programs in high schools, allowing students to earn college credits toward a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential before graduation.

The NCCN Initiative also identified priority communities within northeastern Connecticut where expanded programs and support services are urgently needed to address child care accessibility gaps.

Community members interested in contributing to this ongoing discussion are invited to attend the NCCN Spring Forum on May 6, 2025, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the EASTCONN Conference Center in Hampton.

About the Northeast Connecticut Childcare Needs Project: EASTCONN, in partnership with the Northeast Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and the Northeast Early Childhood Council (NECC), launched the NCCN Project in 2024. This initiative aims to address the region’s unique challenges related to the shortage of affordable and accessible childcare. Over a 3-year period, the NCCN Project will engage regional partners and stakeholders in focused workgroups to develop strategies to increase access to high quality, affordable childcare - benefitting both families and the businesses that employ them.

EASTCONN is a public, non-profit Regional Educational Service Center that has been serving the education needs of northeast Connecticut’s schools and communities since 1980.