Early Milestones Colorado

Happy FFN Friday! Last week, we celebrated the providers in our Rural Care Network with a day to rest and reflect at the hot springs in Pagosa Springs.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers care for more than half of Colorado's young children, yet they have long gone without the recognition and resources they need. As child care in Colorado gets harder to find and afford, supporting FFN providers is one of the most direct ways to help families with young children, especially in rural areas.

Thank you to Ervey Y Tiffany Chacon, and Juanita Maestas for partnering with us to make this day possible.

Learn more about the Rural Care Network: earlymilestones.org/project/the-rural-care-network

We loved being at the Triad Children's Champion Awards this week!

Emily Landes and Sowmya Ramanathan were inspired by being in the room with so many dedicated early care and learning providers who show us every day what responsive, culturally sensitive care looks like.

It was wonderful to celebrate alongside Dr. Lisa Roy and Pat Bolton.

Congratulations to all the nominees and recipients! 🌟

¿Su hijo(a) asiste o está solicitando ingresar al Programa Preescolar Universal de Colorado? ¡ Trends quiere saber su opinión! Las familias elegibles recibirán una invitación por correo electrónico de Child Trends para completar una breve encuesta sobre sus experiencias.

¡Estén atentos a su buzón de correo electrónico para compartir su opinión y participar en un sorteo de una tarjeta de regalo!

Is your child attending or applying to the Colorado Universal Preschool Program? Child Trends wants to hear from you! Eligible families will receive an email invitation from Child Trends to complete a short survey about their experiences.

Keep an eye on your inbox so that you can share your voice and be entered to win a gift card!

REMINDER! Take our provider survey before May 20th so your voice can shape the future of quality in early care and learning in Colorado. Link to survey here: https://earlymilestones.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zPcOOeTx2jR4iy

Governor Jared Polis has proclaimed May 8 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day in Colorado! 🎉

💛 Tag a provider in your life who deserves some appreciation today!

Early Milestones Colorado celebrates ALL early care and learning providers — from center-based teachers to the family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers who open their homes and hearts to Colorado's youngest children every day.

We want to thank every provider across Colorado — the work you do in those early years lays the foundation for everything that follows.

The earliest years shape a lifetime. This Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, we're sharing simple, low-cost ways policymakers and program leaders can invest in infant and early childhood mental health. Read the full brief to learn more.

Providers, can you help us get in touch with families? Help us spread the word about upcoming family focus groups and share the link with those who may be interested: https://earlymilestones.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_40FMZKypi1QsUyW

Let us know what "quality" in early childhood settings means to you by taking our 15-minute survey here: https://earlymilestones.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zPcOOeTx2jR4iy

On April 17, Kacee Miller and Emily Landes presented at the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference. Their presentation shared findings from research conducted in 2025 on how Colorado's universal preschool program has shaped the landscape for infant and toddler care. These findings challenged a common story: statistically, infant and toddler care was not significantly affected by the transition to universal preschool, though experiences varied by center. It was especially meaningful to hear providers and early care and learning professionals reflect those same findings in their own words and experiences.