Skip to main content

The mission of the Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. is to promote affordable and quality child care, to provide information and support to families, and to strengthen the early childhood workforce in Dutchess and Putnam Counties.
These are some of the activities in 2013 that supported the Council’s mission:

  • Through a grant from the Dyson Foundation, the Council provided child care tuition scholarships to 16 day care centers for a total of 27 children from 21 families.
  • Council staff, a Board member and a Director of a day care center met with Senators and Assembly members to advocate for increased funding to counties for child care subsidies, to restore funding cuts to Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (the Council), and to ensure the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies have a role in QUALITYstarsNY.
  • A Dutchess County Partnership Grant supported “Healthy Connections Start in Child Care,” three free trainings with free resources for child care providers to implement low cost and fun physical activities and healthy snacks in their programs.
  • The Council sponsored a Week of the Young Child conference at Vassar College.
  • As a member of the Putnam Early Education Partnership, the Council co-sponsored its second annual Spring Into Learning conference, “Play: The Foundation of Early Learning” in Carmel.
  • The Council hosted its 10th annual Champions of Child Care celebration with approximately 300 attending.
  • As part of its contract with the Office of Children and Family Services, the Council administered 24 Quality Improvement grants to family and group family child care providers, day care centers, and school age child care programs.
  • Council Board members and staff participated in a dedication ceremony at Pine Grove Country Day School, Mahopac, celebrating Mary Courtney’s life. Mary was a founder and Past President of the Putnam County Child Care Council.
  • Grants from the Community Response Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and the Senator Stephen M. Saland Legacy Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley allowed the Council to upgrade its technology.
  • Council staff facilitated two Parent Education trainings and conducted four Council Cluster roundtables for family and group family child care providers.
    Council staff facilitated a highly successful Family Child Care Network in Putnam County with 14 regular participants.
  • The Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. achieved Child Care Aware of America Quality Assurance, identifying the Council as meeting the highest national standards for Child Care Resource and Referral quality.

Watch for the Council’s exciting new activities in 2014 to support the children, families, child care providers, and community members in Dutchess and Putnam Counties!