The solution to adult problems tomorrow depends in large measure upon how our children grow up today Margaret Mead1
Children's needs often go unheeded. They have to rely on adults to advocate for them. Children's Council has been a leader in advocacy for children and child care needs for more than 30 years, developing positions, arguing for policy changes, and testifying at city, state, and national levels.
Children's Council sponsors the San Francisco chapter of Parent Voices, a statewide grassroots advocacy organization that has a strong influence on child care funding and programs that support children and families.
Nothing is more valuable in advocacy than stories about real people. We encourage our staff to identify clients who will share their stories. Our efforts range from writing postcards and sending letters to more substantive actions like visiting lawmakers, speaking at public hearings, and participating in public demonstrations.
Children's Council is one of the leading forces for child care policy and planning in San Francisco and beyond. We are active participants and leaders in child care and family welfare organizations, both locally and statewide.
Policymakers and budget planners depend upon Children's Council for statistical, fiscal, and demographic information about child care needs and services. Our data department continually processes requests for data, develops reports, and contributes to strategic assessments of child care needs.
We also offer information to the media to help them inform the public about child care as an ongoing public issue and social benefit.
Children's Council's staff includes members of all of the leading child care and family service organizations, such as the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCCRRN) and the California Association of Alternative Payment Programs (CAPPA). Childrens Council staff serve on advisory committees of San Francisco First Fives Preschool For All initiative, the Gateway to Quality Project at San Francisco State University; and on the Board and the Public Policy Committee of CAPPA, the California Alternative Payment Programs Association. We also participate in meetings and work groups of many other organizations and initiatives.
Linnea Klee, Children's Council's Executive Director, is a long-standing member and officer of the San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council (CPAC). She serves on three of its key committees. Dr Klee also serves on the Public Policy Committee of the CCCRRN and on the National Task Force on Child Care and Development of the Child Welfare League of America. Her position papers, submitted to various public agencies, help them analyze and implement important child care reform initiatives.
Responding to threatened cuts to child care in the state budget, Children's Council staff participate on CPAC's Budget Response Committee. We also organize special meetings to inform child care providers and parents about possible funding cuts and develop strategies for responding to the challenge.
Click here to see a list of city, statewide, and national organizations you can contact to help you stay informed and get involved.
Click here to learn about current issues and upcoming events.
Click here to see a list of related resources about child care advocacy and public action.
Our Mission
Our mission is to meet family needs for high-quality child care in all San Francisco communities.
