May 2020 Newsletter
ICS Releases New Reports
COVID-19’s Impact on Child Care in Rural Counties
In May 2020, ICS released a report on survey findings of child care providers from across South Carolina on the economic impacts of COVID-19 on their operations. The sector has already experienced approximately $40 million in lost revenue, and about half of all centers have closed.

How might COVID-19 be impacting child care providers differently based on where they operate? We are pleased to release an accompanying analysis of rural vs. non-rural county responses in order to better explore these differences.

W e’ve been bringing you information through our COVID-19 blog series since the beginning of the pandemic in March. Each blog is meant to provide readers with guidance and recommendations for navigating the crisis offered by expert organizations and leading authorities in healthcare, child care, mental health, and child safety.
 
Following is a compilation of recently published blogs:

Suggestions Around Nature to Help Get You and Your Family Through the Coronavirus - B y Senior Fellow, Mary MacKenzie. Tips for how to self-isolate with social distancing and simultaneously be outdoors exercising, and a few suggestions which might help parents and children get through these trying times.
 
Montessori Practical Life Activities to Use in the Home During the Pandemic - By Mary MacKenzie. P ractical Life skills are essential to everyday life. Activities discussed revolve around Caring for Self and Caring for the Environment.
 
COVID-19 Pandemic Jeopardizes Child Welfare - W e look at kids spending more time in potentially volatile home environments with fewer outside parties to intervene. We also examine families in the child welfare system navigating prolonged separations and the resulting trauma.
 
Resources for Child Care Provider Concerns - By Megan Carolan, Director of Policy Research. Following the release of the Initial Impact of COVID-19 on South Carolina's Sector survey, ICS sent a list of resources to respondents in the hopes that we may be able to help them navigate some challenges while policymakers develop broader solutions. We are sharing an updated version of this list to assist providers in any states who may be facing similar challenges.  

Upcoming Events
On Thursday, June 4 at 2:00 pm , ICS invites you to join our webinar, Health Equity & Systems Leadership , the next installment in our series on issues in early childhood and tools to bolster the field .
 
Health inequity is one of many issues both highlighted and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than two months into the worldwide crisis, the impacts have been disproportionately felt across society as people of color and those experiencing poverty are bearing the brunt of the burden.
 
In this Institute for Child Success webinar, we will tackle the following questions and more:
 
  • What are the social determinants of health and how do they help us define “health equity?”
  • In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, what are the major barriers to achieving health equity and what is the impact of health inequity on young children and their families?
  • How can we begin to overcome these barriers through systems leadership in early childhood and beyond?
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

ICS surveyed early care and education providers to understand the effect of the pandemic on the already-fragile early care and education market. The results of the survey show that, like for many other small businesses, the economic impact for child care centers has been
sharply negative. The sector has already experienced approximately $40 million in lost 
revenue and about half of all centers have closed. Those centers that do remain open are struggling to manage basic operations; others are struggling to understand how they
might be able to reopen. Adequate child care is essential to the broader economic success of the state as families begin to go back to work in large numbers.

Join ICS for a discussion of the findings of our survey, highlights on how different areas of the state may be impacted and connections to the broader national picture of a sector in crisis. Director of Policy Research Megan Carolan will lead the discussion. 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Bulletin Board
push pin
A lexis Herschkowitsch , Innovation Associate, is joining ICS full time. Alexis has been working with ICS on a part-time basis over the last several years and has done remarkable work managing multiple Pay for Success engagements and contributing to numerous ICS impact financing, research and innovation initiatives. Alexis graduated from New York University (NYU) with a Master's in Public Administration and from the University of Texas with a degree in political science.
 
What We've Been Up To
Webinars

  • ICS hosted Preschool Suspension and Expulsion: Overview and Policy Recommendations on May 7. You can view a recording using this YouTube video link.
 
  • ICS presented Economics, Equity & Inclusion in Early Care & Education on May 21. You can view a recording using this YouTube video link.
 

Working from Home
We're hard at work, working-from-home during this pandemic.

Senior Fellow,
Mary MacKenzie
Grants, Personnel & Compliance Administrator,
Christina Vazquez
Operations & Finance Associate,
Amber Posey
Jamie Moon,
President & CEO
Innovation Associate,
Alexis Herschkowitsch
Support ICS!
You Shop. Amazon Gives.

Bookmark smile.amazon.com and set Institute for Child Success Inc as your charitable organization. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to ICS.

AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service .

ICS works on behalf of children from prenatal to age 8.
Help support our research and advocacy with a contribution.

The Institute for Child Success is
Founded and Fueled by:
The Institute for Child Success is fueled by the BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation, the Mary Black Foundation, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, an independent licensee of the BlueCross and BlueShield Association.