early childhood Education: The foundation for Connecticut’s future
At Social Impact Partners (SIP), we believe every child deserves the best possible start — and that accessible, high-quality early childhood education (ECE) is key to thriving families, vibrant communities and a healthy economy.
Why It Matters
The first five years of life shape everything that follows — 95% of brain development happens before age five. Yet too many Connecticut families struggle to find or afford quality child care.
- 40% of the state is a child care desert.
- The state is short 17,000 infant and toddler slots
- Families making under $200,000 spend more on child care than on housing.
Meanwhile, the workforce that powers this essential system is struggling. Early educators earn minimum wage, less than many entry-level jobs, making it hard to recruit and retain teachers who shape our children’s futures.
What SIP Is Doing
SIP is helping Connecticut build an affordable, accessible, high-quality child care system that works for everyone — families, providers and educators.
We partner with providers in local communities, advocates, and the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to strengthen funding, coordination, and capacity across the state.
Our Impact
- Led strategic research, analysis, and stakeholder engagement that drove the work of the 2023 Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care, shaping nation-leading legislation that secured a $1 billion state investment in early childhood.
- Helped launch Child Care for CT, a statewide network of parents and providers advocating for stronger child care policies.
- Partnered with local providers through the ECE Growth Accelerator to provide support and resources to strengthen operations and expand access.
Our Focus
- Expand Access: Add 16,000 new high-quality learning slots so more children can learn and parents can work.
- Support Educators: Ensure early educators earn living wages and have career pathways to grow and thrive.
- Strengthen Providers: Help child care programs build strong leadership and sustainable operations.
The Bottom Line
Investing in early childhood education is one of the smartest things Connecticut can do. It helps children succeed, families stay strong, and communities prosper. SIP is proud to work with partners across the state to make that vision a reality, creating a more equitable and sustainable future, starting from the very beginning.
