Office of Child Care and Family Resources

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

From the Office of Child Care and Family Resources

Dear Families,

I hope that you are staying healthy and doing well.

Just when we thought that we’d turned a corner on this pandemic, we find ourselves at the crossroads of a dangerous mutation. Delta variant cases have quickly climbed in Dane County. As we prepare for a new academic year, it feels as though we haven’t made much progress since last October. Still, we move forward with the optimism that a vaccine for our youngest will help us turn the page on this chapter once and for all.

When public schools and most campus units were closed, our three campus child care centers stayed open for business. Their directors and teachers have been working tirelessly to serve our families. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to these early childhood educators. Under the most challenging of circumstances, they have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the children in their centers. Their commitment to campus families has enabled UW students and employees to continue to work and to be productive in their roles.

The importance of early educators’ well-being has been a focal point for our office. Over the past eighteen months, campus and network early educators have reported high levels of work-related stress and emotional fatigue. The increased demands on these teachers have also led to burn-out and staff turnover and shortages. Early educators have been asked to go above and beyond in response to the mental health concerns of children and families during this time of uncertainty. Growing evidence suggests a deep connection between early educators’ well-being and developmental outcomes for the children that they serve.

Simply put, if we want the best for our children, we need to take care of our early childhood educators on our campus. To that end, we’ve established a COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist our centers with wellness initiatives, including reflective practice trainings, self-care and self-compassion resources, and healthy food for staff meetings. It is with sincere appreciation that we thank you for your thoughtful consideration of continued support on behalf of our youngest, their families, and their teachers. To make a gift to this fund, please visit https://www.supportuw.org/ giveto/OCCFRfund.  Do not hesitate to contact Teri at teri.stratton@wisc.edu  if you have any questions or if you wish to know the best fit for your gift.