Items filtered by date: November 2017

Child Care Advocacy Day in Albany was Great....but the Budget Campaign Continues!

We were delighted to join hundreds of child care professionals, parents, advocates and others in Albany to call for increased child care funding. But we're not done yet, and neither are you!

The Governor's budget includes another one-time workforce recruitment and retention initiative, using unspent federal funding - no new NYS investment. And frankly, the amounts will be lower than in the prior rounds.

This will not fix the child care staffing crisis that exists because of persistently low salaries.

The Council's new Child Care Survey illustrates the problem - Westchester ECE teachers in centers earn 44% less than entry-level kindergarten teachers. 70% of the programs responding to the survey were below licensed capacity, citing between 4 and 10 open positions.

Parents can't use child care without a strong child care workforce.

To call on Governor Hochul and your NYS legislators to adequately fund a child care compensation fund to move these indispensable educators toward parity with the K-12 system, just Click Here!

For more info on the Child Care Council's new Survey, click here - Westchester Salary Survey

For questions and/or more information, contact Kathy Halas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Early Education Hall of Heroes event taking place on Friday, September 27th, from 7pm to 9pm. We are excited to celebrate and induct a new slate of child care and afterschool professionals. It will be a fun-filled night of entertainment, dinner, awards, networking, and more. So be sure to mark September 27th on your calendar and be on the lookout for when nomination submissions open.

For questions or more information, contact Juanita Pope at 914-761-3456 x106 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Here's a quick flashback to last year's event:

View the full 2023 event gallery here.

Celebrating 21 years of leadership and achievement

After more than two decades of dedicated service and exceptional leadership, our esteemed Executive Director, Kathy Halas, has decided to step down later this year. Kathy’s impact on the Child Care Council and our community has been nothing short of transformative.

One of her most remarkable contributions has been her relentless advocacy for policy change and increased investment in child care. Kathy spearheaded successful efforts to reduce parents’ share of financial assistance (subsidy) – once as high as 27% of income over the federal poverty level and now just 1% - and increased income eligibility to families, making assistance more widely available. Most recently, she helped secure the continuation of the Westchester Works Child Care Scholarship, the most widely-available child care scholarship in our county’s history. Through her strategic vision and tireless efforts, and in partnership with supportive government leaders, early child care and education has become much more accessible and affordable for countless families.

During Kathy’s tenure, the Child Care Council tripled in size and launched many new critical initiatives to help improve the quality of early care and education available to families. These include the Quality In Action program, which supports home-based and Spanish-speaking providers, mental health support services for infant/toddler care providers throughout Westchester and the region, and an early literacy/family home library project that engages 20 child care programs annually, among others.

Recognizing that a strong child care system could be a compelling community asset, Kathy engaged and worked closely with other organizations, including the Business Council of Westchester, the Westchester County Association, Nonprofit Westchester, the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, as well as with elected leaders and the business community.  

Appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul following a nomination by NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Kathy serves on the NYS Child Care Availability Task Force and on the Workforce Committee of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, in addition to many past and present leadership positions within local organizations, including the Westchester Women’s Agenda and Nonprofit Westchester. She is a former board president of the NYS Early Care and Learning Council (ECLC), the coordinating agency for the state network of child care resource and referral agencies. She serves as co-chair of the Westchester Families Task Force, along with County Legislator Nancy Barr.

“The Board of Directors of the Child Care Council of Westchester is forever grateful to Kathy Halas for her incomparable and tireless dedication to advocating for all families, children and providers, to increase access to quality early childhood education and care across Westchester County,” said Board Co-Chair Christie Noelle Krase.

 “This has been a remarkable time to work in early care and education, and there is no better place than Westchester County, with such commitment from government, business and community leaders,” said Kathy. “I have such admiration for Westchester’s child care and after school educators and am rewarded to see that the field is finally beginning to enjoy the respect it deserves. I have been blessed to work with such a wonderful team of Council colleagues and to feel the support of a wonderful Board of Directors. I look forward to the next chapter for the Council.”

Please join us in expressing our deepest appreciation to Kathy. While we will miss her in her current role, we are excited to see the ways in which her influence will continue to positively shape our community and look forward to continuing the important work she has inspired us to carry forward.

ALL TRAININGS ARE IN ENGLISH AND IN-PERSON

February 13, 2024, 6:30pm-8:30pm - Business Basics

This training will review and discuss personal and business needs, goals, and taxes. REGISTER HERE

February 28, 2024, 6:30pm-8:30pm - Company Assessment

This training will cover conducting a business analysis by reviewing basic business practices, improving employee onboarding, and more. REGISTER HERE

March 13, 2024, 6:30pm-8:30pm - Financial Management

This training will cover how to organize financial statements and cash flow management. REGISTER HERE

March 27, 2024 - Marketing

This training will cover branding your child care business, learning the difference between marketing and advertising, and using social media to promote your program. REGISTER HERE

We are fortunate that Westchester County has made affordable child care a priority by continuing the Westchester Works Child Care Scholarship program, while increasing the income eligibility levels. Now making a family of 3 with an income of $120,000 eligible for scholarship.

HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL!

Join us in Albany on Tuesday, Febraury 6th, 

for NYS Child Care Advocacy Day!

As proud members of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care (ESCCC) we are heading to Albany, on February 6th, with members from across New York State to make it clear that child care must be a top priority in the 2024 state budget! We will hold a rally and participate in meetings with legislators to share our stories and our needs.

This year, we will call on New York to take the next steps towards high-quality, universal child care by advocating for:

• better pay and benefits for the child care workforce, which earns less than almost all other jobs in New York State for the important work caring for and educating our youngest children
• supportive changes that will that allow more families to access the care they need, when they need it — breaking down harmful barriers and building more care options for families outside of 9 to 5, weekday hours

Register today!

For questions and/or more information, Contact Nicole Masucci at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Red Flags - When to Worry if School Age Behaviors are Caused by Special Needs 
VIRTUAL TRAINING
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 from 6:30-8:30pm

There are many reasons that school age children have challenging behaviors. One of them is having a learning difference. Learning differences can affect all areas of a child’s development. Let’s explore behaviors that are Red Flags that a learning difference could be the cause. We will assess what is going on and strategies for helping children to be more successful in your program. 

Modality - Age: SACC
Training Categories: OCFS (1, 3) CBK (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Trainer: Idie Benjamin
Cost: $20 CCCW members/$25 non-members

Register Here

Lions SEE - Free Vision Screening Program

The Lions Club Kid Site Vision Screening Program is offering FREE vision screenings, available for booking. These screenings can aid in the early detection of vision troubles for children as young as 6 months old. If you are interested, please contact Joanne O’Hanlon directly and she will be able to assist with scheduling or if you have questions. Please see the business card above. Her contact info below:    

Joanne O’Hanlon, 914-217-0769, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more information please visit their website: www.lionsseeny.org

Programs that fail to submit the expense reports from the Stabilization Grants will be required to return all unreported funds to OCFS. Failure to return funds will result in being ineligible for future New York State financial grant programs.

Don't let that be you!

Register for our final in-person group session where we will review the expense report, step-by-step.

When: Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Time: 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Available Time Slots

• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
• 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Register Here 

Can't make it to the in-person session?

Join us in our final virtual walkthrough session as we review the expense report step-by-step.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Register Here

The due date for outstanding expense reports is January 31, 2024.

For information about outstanding expense reports for the Stabilization Grants, please contact Jayselle Trancoso at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ext. 227 or Jessenia Tejada at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ext. 161.

Founder & Director
Women’s Research and Education Fund

Camille Murphy is a wellspring of determination, tenacity and creativity when it comes to equality, justice and safety for women and girls.  As founder of the Westchester County Office for Women in 1980 and director until she retired in 2010, Camille made sure the voices of women were heard and included in the development of programs, laws and policies locally and on the state and national level.

Establishing the Office for Women put Westchester in the vanguard as the first centralized county office in New York State with the singular mission to serve women. It became a model for subsequent offices opening throughout the state in response to the changing and expanding rules of women.  During her 30 year tenure, the county received several national awards for its programs to empower women and eradicate domestic violence. 

Over the years Camille has implemented county programs and policies to increase safe, affordable child care; provide equal opportunities in education and the workplace; prevent sexual harassment; advocate for pay equity and women’s health; and address the needs of immigrant, elderly or disabled women and opening the Family Justice Center where 16 organizations are working to increase the safety of women and to hold offenders accountable. 

On the national level, Camille was elected to the board of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW), created by President Kennedy in 1961 with Eleanor Roosevelt as the first chairperson.  Camille served as president for five years.  She breathed new life into the organization, an annual Legislative Lunch on the Hill for Congresswomen, building corporate partnerships to fund programs and establishing the organization’s NGO status a the United Nations.  In 1995, Camille led the official NACW/NGO delegation to the Beijing International Women’s Conference.

Upon retiring from government, Camille became the Executive Director of the Women’s Research and Education Fund, a not for profit she established in 1989 and had served on its board. Her goal has been to fill gaps in essential services that exist in the county for  women and children. Her major target for 2013 has been the development of services for women veterans. Pulling together other interested agencies, she held the first Stand Up for Women Veterans on the East Coast which has served as a model for similar events throughout the country. 

The Workforce Retention Grant application was tricky, but completing your expense report doesn't have to be! Ease frustration and avoid mistakes by joining us as we review the expense report process step-by-step. Register Here 

When - January 18, 2023

Time: 1:00 pm - 12:00 pm

Can't remember what the eligible expenses are?

Click on the Statement of Grant Opportunity (SOI) below to review Section V. ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FOR STAFF RETENTION FUNDS and Section VI. ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FOR STAFF RECRUITMENT FUNDS. Statment of Grant Opprotunity (SOI)