Business Support for Early Childhood and 4-C

Numerous economic studies have proven that businesses have much to gain from high quality early care and education. When children benefit from a high quality early childhood experience, employers benefit from lower turnover rates, decreased absenteeism, and higher productivity. Keep in mind that children are the workforce of the future!

 In addition, many individuals (both consumers and employees) today are basing their corporate loyalties on how companies are positively impacting their community. While consumers may rely on corporations for goods and services, business competition allows customers to make decisions based on several factors, including how much businesses are supporting the community outside of the workplace.

Why Early Childhood?

Investing in early childhood is drawing the attention of not only parents, educators and physicians, but also scientists and economists. Children who benefit from high quality early care and education are less likely to incur social costs (such as welfare and incarceration), more likely to excel in the workplace and will contribute more to society. Studies show that a $1 investment in early childhood results in a return of $7-10 for society. 

Business leaders routinely face challenges finding employees who have the vital training, academic and team-building skills companies need to flourish. An investment in high-quality early care and education is necessary to create the highly-productive workforce needed to maintain its competitiveness in an increasingly global economy. If we invest wisely now, businesses will reap greater benefits from a thriving economy in years to come. While business leaders’ primary concern must be running a successful enterprise, an investment in early education will pay great dividends for multiple generations, as well as boost businesses and the economy now and into the future.

 4-C programs work to ensure all children have access to high quality early care and education. 4-C is a valuable resource for families, early childhood professionals and the community:

  • Assisting families in finding regulated child care;

  • Teaching families of at-risk children how to support a child’s development;

  • Helping adults in a child’s life identify when a child’s development needs extra support;

  • Providing opportunities for early childhood professionals and families to enhance their early childhood knowledge;

  • Helping to ensure children in child care receive nutritious meals and snacks;f and

  • Advocating for quality early care and education for children.

Becoming a Business Champion for Early Care and Education

All businesses, regardless of size, have a variety of opportunities to become a champion for early childhood education by:

Supporting Employees:

  • Provide back-up child care via contracts with local child care centers

  • Allow flexible work schedules such as job sharing, flextime and telecommuting

  • Contract with a Child Care Resource & Referral organization (4-C) for child care referrals

  • Establish on-site child care

  • Subsidize employee child care costs
  • Provide early childhood resources to employees

Supporting the Community

  • Communicate with policymakers and elected officials

  • Urge your chamber of commerce, civic and business organizations to include early care and education as part of their overall agenda

Supporting 4-C