Anti-racism and Our Children’s Future
A racial awakening occurred in summer 2020 that has seen communities wrestle with a reckoning that, at this moment, feels unprecedented. We, at ICS, acknowledge that this moment is centuries overdue.
The Next Black Child
In the midst of a global pandemic, rising unemployment and economic instability, it is ongoing racial injustice that has propelled the civil unrest we have all witnessed over the past few weeks. “The painful and frustrating reality is that all the children are not well. In too many instances, Black children are not well.” The next Black child to die due to the color of their skin could easily be one of the children whom we at ICS are committed to serving and advocating on behalf of today.
Round Two – Applying for Federal Opportunities for Small Business & Non-Profit Support: A Crash Course on COVID-19 Response
The first program we covered is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – a forgivable loan, meaning that it can function much like a grant, to support small businesses with up to 2.5 months of payroll and certain other expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities). Funding for this was limited, and was given out on a first-come first-served basis. As a result, it has - since the webinar - run out of its initial funds.
March 2020 eNews
The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for each of us as individuals and for the institutions we rely on for education, health, employment, and support. The crisis also serves to highlight the vulnerabilities and inequities inherent in many systems, including the early childhood health and education systems.
Blog Series: COVID-19 Response – Pediatric Health
Avoiding “non-essential” procedures and medical appointments is a key component of the national effort to slow the spread of the disease, through reducing crowded waiting rooms and conserving supplies for essential COVID-19 treatment
Blog Series: COVID-19 Response – Intro
We will highlight recommendations from experts, cross-system considerations, and opportunities to learn from other communities on health, education, child care, child welfare, pregnancy, and more. While adjusting to the realities of our new world may feel like “building the plane while flying it,” the fact is that researchers, policymakers, and providers have decades of experience and literature that can help us chart a research-informed course in the coming weeks and months.
List of ICS’s COVID-19 Policy Priorities
Making certain that early childhood development (ECD) centers/employees are deemed to be “essential” in the event of local, national, or state shutdowns (understanding that care for the children of healthcare and other frontline personnel is needed).
October 2019 eNews
A recent community needs assessment conducted by the Institute for Child Success (which is leading the collaborative’s Childhood Homelessness Project) revealed gaps in services and the critical state of housing instability in Greenville County. In response, we are organizing a listening tour to understand community issues on the ground.
September 2019 eNews
On September 17, ICS VP and General Counsel, Bryan Boroughs, spoke before a group of SC lawmakers comprising the Early Childhood Education Study Committee.
Every Child is a Writer: Examining our Perspectives can Change our Messaging
Children are naturally motivated to write at a young age. In order to continue to nurture this desire for written expression, it is crucial that early childhood educators focus their writing instruction primarily on content, process, and meaning (composition) and that families and community stakeholders understand and celebrate the phases of early writing development.