Overview
WECA has long been a leader driving bold change in early care and education in Wisconsin with a focus on service to the early education workforce. As the importance of early childhood education and care increases, WECA’s advocacy activities have evolved to support early childhood professionals as well as families, businesses and communities. WECA’s advocacy is based on early care and education being high quality, accessible and affordable, and with strong support for early childhood professionals. In 2019, WECA launched a multi-sector collaborative Wisconsin Infant Toddler Policy Project (WITPP) that works to create change for our state’s child care system and the optimal health and well-being of infants and children. children of our state. In April 2022, “WITPP” morphed into “Raising Wisconsin,” an initiative driven by a multi-sector coalition led by WECA.
Raising Wisconsin is the result of increasing and sweeping public awareness around the importance of child care and brings all impacted voices together to advance powerful, collective advocacy: child care professionals, families, community leaders, employers and economic leaders.
Raising Wisconsin’s goals are:
Early Care and Education
All families will have access to a range of affordable, high-quality, culturally and linguistically-responsive child care options that meet their employment and family needs.
Early Childhood Workforce
The early care and education workforce will have the skills, training and support to deliver high-quality child care with commensurate compensation.
Optimal Health & Well-Being
All families will have access to the information and supports they need to promote their children’s optimal health and well-being.