Kids Co.: Quality Child Care in Seattle

Spring 2007
Invest in Our Children by Investing in Staff Development
Thank you for the outpouring of support at our recent Benefit Breakfast. Your donations will help us continue to serve all families regardless of their ability to pay. Kids Co. will give out over $150,000 in child care subsidies over our 2006/2007 fiscal year. Because of our commitment to removing cost as a barrier to high-quality child care and because our fundraising efforts are still well below the level of funds we give away, sacrifices are made in other areas. High-quality programs can only be achieved by hiring, retaining and training high-quality staff. The training and development needs of our staff are great, and becoming greater still, as we seek to meet the varying needs of the children we care for. As with our modest investments in new things for the centers, we are only able to make modest investments in the ongoing training and education of our staff. Research from the fields of early childhood education and child care has identified a number of skill sets that define a skilled "youth worker": Possesses a strong knowledge of youth development Engages in warm, positive relationships Promotes positive peer interactions Encourages youth to be actively involved in shaping their programs and experiences	Susan R. Brown President and CEO Research shows that staff development can positively affect youth outcomes. Help us invest in our children by investing in our staff. The more training our staff receives, the better the child care experience for your child. Please use the enclosed gift envelope, or go to www.kidscompany.org to make a donation in support of training and development for child care staff. Thank you so much, Susan