4th Annual San Francisco Early Care and Education Advocacy & Policy Retreat

By Alex Maykowski, Senior Manager for Public Policy & Organizing

On January 24, 2026, Children’s Council of San Francisco, Parent Voices SF and the San Francisco Early Care and Education (ECE) Advocacy Coalition hosted the fourth-annual Policy and Advocacy Retreat at Family and Child Empowerment Services (FACES) SF in San Francisco’s Bayview with over 130 parents, providers and advocates in attendance. Our partners in the coalition also included the San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council (CPAC),  Early Care Educators of San Francisco, the Family Services Alliance and the Family Child Care Association of San Francisco. 

This event provided a valuable opportunity for community to reflect on and celebrate past achievements, gain valuable insights into the state of early care and education (ECE) at the local and state levels and allowed subject matter experts to come together to collaborate and strategize. 

The retreat featured a Policy 101 session, where Jennifer Greppi from Parent Voices California and Anya Worley-Ziegmann from People’s Budget Coalition explained the complexities of the state and local legislative and budget processes.

Attendees also heard from former SF Board of Supervisors Norman Yee and Jane Kim, child care advocates and the duo that spearheaded Baby Prop C, on the importance of building coalitions, educating public officials and working toward collective, impactful goals. 

Participants had the opportunity to gain strategic knowledge and contribute to key discussions during two breakout sessions: 

What’s Changing in Child Care Policy—and What It Means for Us 

Led by Ericka Erickson from CPAC and Maria Luz Torre from Parent Voices SF, this session was centered around changes we’ve seen at the local, state and federal levels and the advocacy avenues for community members to get involved and help make a difference. Participants were asked what they would do with a $500 million budget for child care in San Francisco. 

“We want to hear from the community, voices we don’t often get input from but have lived experience in the field,” Maria said at the event. Parent Voices California Executive Director Mary Ignatius also shared how effective storytelling makes a difference in advocacy. 

Inclusion and Working Conditions: Creating effective inclusion practices at ECE sites  

This discussion, led by Early Care Educators of San Francisco and the Early Intervention & Inclusion Equity Taskforce, focused on what educators need to ensure that every child has access to timely place-based specialized support services: system-wide service coordination, resource allocation and mutual agreements centered on the needs of children with special needs so they can thrive and reach their full potential. 

As we look ahead to potential budget challenges in both San Francisco and California, this retreat reinforced our shared vision and mission, while also ensuring that the ECE community remains strong, informed and prepared for the advocacy road ahead.