The California Child Development Corps
Building a unified voice of child care teachers & family child care providers in California

The California Child Development Corps is a new teacher- and provider-led statewide network of early childhood educators that bridges the concerns of the center-based and home-based workforce.

Child care teachers and family child care providers are the most important ingredient in providing children with stable, high quality early care and education, and yet until now they have lacked a voice in the state policies that influence their own and children’s well-being.

The Corps brings together teachers and providers -- many of whom belong to associations, unions and advocacy organizations -- to organize and advocate for better compensation, benefits, job conditions, and professional respect.

The idea for the network was launched after teachers and providers, in a series of community forums hosted by the Center for the Child Care Workforce (CCW) in the spring of 2002, called it their top priority to build an effective, representative organization of their own.

Learn more about the founding of the California Child Development Corps.

Impact of the Californial Child Development Corps

• Since its founding in December 2002, the Corps has formed a representative body of teachers and providers, from eleven counties in California, who meet regularly to coordinate and plan actions.
• The Corps organized a “Save CARES” postcard campaign and presented over 3,000 signed postcards to the First 5 California Commission which resulted in re-funding of the CARES program, which rewards participants for their current and ongoing educational investments.
• Members of the Corps testified before the First 5 California Commission about the importance of compensation, staff retention, and professional development.

Next Steps for the California Child Development Corps

• Reaching out to other child care teachers and providers to broaden its impact.
• Participating in the discussion of the California budget and realignment to ensure that the interests of early childhood teachers and providers -- and the children they care for -- are well-represented.
• Developing position statements and actions related to universal pre-k, health care, and professional development opportunities.