Community leaders, advocates, and policymakers gathered on May 26 for a conversation on the current state of the early care and education workforce, existing ECE workforce supports in our county, and opportunities for investment to support “the workforce behind the workforce.”
The morning reinforced a central message of the event: the early care and education workforce is not only critical to children’s development, but also foundational to our county’s economic vitality.
Opening the Conversation
The event began with welcoming remarks from Dr. Ruth Fernández, First 5 Contra Costa’s Executive Director, who reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to strengthening early care and education across Contra Costa County. Her remarks highlighted the importance of collaboration among agencies, decision makers, and community partners to address ECE workforce challenges in sustainable ways.
“Child care providers are the workforce behind the workforce. They make it possible for parents to go to work, for businesses to thrive, and for our county’s economy to function. And yet, supporting this workforce is about far more than economic vitality, it is essential to family stability and, most importantly, to the healthy development of our youngest children.”
Dr. Ruth Fernández
Executive Director, First 5 Contra Costa
Understanding the Economics of the ECE Workforce
Anna Powell from the UC Berkeley Center for the Study of Child Care Employment provided an overview of the economics behind the ECE workforce and why investments in educators matter far beyond the classroom.
Her presentation connected the local realities of the ECE workforce to broader statewide and national trends, while highlighting a key challenge: although early educators do highly skilled and essential work, compensation and supports for them do not reflect the importance of their profession.
“In order to finance the true cost of care, we have to intervene as a society. We have to decide this is untenable for [both educators and families], and we’re going to get there by investing in early care and education to break out of this mold.”
Anna Powell
Associate Director, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Highlighting Local Workforce Supports
Sandra Naughton, First 5 Contra Costa’s Deputy Director guided attendees through three examples of existing ECE workforce supports, including a recruitment program, an on-the-job professional development program, and one newer effort primarily focused on retaining ECE workers in the field.
While some innovative supports existing in Contra Costa County, there remains significant opportunity for expanded investment, particularly in retention and compensation strategies that help educators remain in the field long term.
Emerging Findings and Future Opportunities
Consultant Pamm Shaw shared emerging findings from an ongoing landscape analysis of ECE workforce supports and opportunities for future investment. Her presentation connected local efforts with broader research on effective strategies to strengthen and stabilize the early care and education workforce, including:
- Improving compensation and benefits
- Prioritizing supports that improve retention
- Expanding credit-bearing career pathways
The report, which will be finalized this summer, will include profiles of existing ECE workforce supports in the county, and synthesize the current research literature and local stakeholders’ perspectives on what is needed to stabilize and expand our ECE workforce.
To bring the voices of educators into the room, attendees also heard video testimonials from family child care leaders and apprenticeship program graduates whose experiences reflected both the challenges of working in the field and benefits of workforce supports.
From Information to Action
The second half of the event shifted from presentations to conversations. Facilitated by First 5 Contra Costa Commissioner Marilyn Cachola Lucey, attendees participated in table discussions focused on two key questions:
- What resonated most from the day’s conversation?
- How can agencies and organizations contribute to advancing these opportunities?
Discussions surfaced themes of collaboration, sustainability, educator well-being, and continued investment in the workforce that supports young children and families. Overall, attendees voiced a need to use the information shared to mobilize into action and start identifying collaborative ways to stabilize the ECE workforce now.
A Call to Strengthen Investment in ECE
The event concluded with remarks from Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, who expressed appreciation for the county’s ongoing advocacy and collaboration, and reinforced the urgency of investing in early care and education. He highlighted strong returns on investment in early care and education along with the broader benefits of improving quality of life for children, families, and communities.
“We can’t forget how important our own community is in the long history of county partnerships when it comes to investing in our future and investing in kids—and nothing can be more important,” shared Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. “We have to make sure that people invest in the future based on research and community collaborations, and that partnerships continue to have a voice.”
Looking Ahead
Closing remarks from First 5 Commissioner Gareth Ashley reflected on the progress already underway and underscored the need for continued partnership, innovation, and investments.
Stay tuned for future updates from us. This event was just one step in many that will be needed to make progress on our ECE workforce challenges. Later this summer, we will share the final landscape analysis report and information on next steps.
Thank you to all who joined us for Coffee & Kids. We are grateful to the offices of elected officials, local agencies and organizations, educators, funders, and partners whose participation and engagement made this conversation possible. Your continued collaboration and commitment to strengthening the early care and education workforce are essential to building a more sustainable and equitable system for children, families and educators across Contra Costa County.
Additional Resources
We will be sharing the final landscape analysis report once completed this summer. In the meantime, please see the resources below to learn more about existing efforts focused on early care and education in Contra Costa County:
This event was made possible through aligned investments from California Proposition 10 and a California Jobs First Catalyst Planning Grant for regional planning efforts related to early care and education.
To explore partnerships and opportunities, contact Stephanie Shieh, Early Childhood Program Officer, at sshieh@first5coco.org or call 925-655-0360.