Early Childhood Council of Larimer County

The team works tirelessly and strategically with everyone important in a young child’s life, from parents to teachers and from physicians to psychologists, to equitably modernize and prioritize early childhood experiences.

The team gave us a look behind the curtain at how and why ECCLC staff does what they do!

Q: WHAT IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL OF LARIMER COUNTY? 

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (ECCLC) is an independent nonprofit organization focused on early childhood issues in our community. ECCLC was one of 12 original Consolidated Child Care Pilots for the State of Colorado established by legislation to help support and build local early childhood systems.

Whether in Estes Park or Wellington, Red Feather Lakes or Berthoud, every young child can benefit from diverse, committed caregivers and engaged professionals in their lives. We know when this happens, children grow up healthier, happier and more ready for success in school and life. We provide expert coaching and consultation, build leadership capacity, incubate innovative ideas, spearhead community collaboration, advocate for policies and funding and design and pilot programs.

We only get one childhood. When every young child is cared for in an environment that invigorates their learning and supports their wellbeing, they are set up for a life of health and happiness, which elevates our entire community.

Today, our Council is recognized as one of the leading Early Childhood Councils in the state. We are widely respected as a center of excellence and a hub for innovative early childhood solutions that support long-term, positive and sustainable change for families in our community.

Q: WHAT STANDS OUT TO EMPLOYEES?

I’ve heard from employees about their favorite parts about working at ECCLC. One is that they feel they genuinely make a difference in the Early Childhood Education field while also connecting with like-minded people who are willing to put in the work to do what is best for the young children and families in our community.

The staff also appreciates having the ability to make an impact while also having the flexibility to meet their personal needs and family’s needs… and the candy (we like to have humor as part of our culture).

Some other things they enjoy most working at ECCLC are our close-knit team of passionate individuals, our willingness to work together toward improvements inside and outside of our organization and the emphasis on work-life balance.

Q: HOW DO YOU FURTHER THE MISSION OF WORK IN NORTHERN COLORADO?

As a Council committed to advancing early care and education in our community, a large part of our focus is supporting the early care and education workforce. This means advocating for equitable, livable wages and benefits for our educators.

We have an incredible child care referral website, LarimerChildCareConnect.org, to help families find and compare child care options in our community. We also lead Larimer Thrive by Five, an early childhood education public awareness campaign aimed at spurring understanding of the importance of high-quality early childhood child care and education, attracting educators and bringing better-paying jobs to our community.

We also work closely with community leaders and businesses to promote family-friendly workplaces to ensure all who live and work in Larimer County have quality child care and education for their children, which benefits everyone (including businesses’ bottom lines). And last but not least, we continue to lead by example with our culture and commitment to supporting working families among our team.

We’re growing quickly and want to ensure we attract talented team members who can thrive as professionals and meet the changing needs of their families. There is no “Work in Northern Colorado” without quality, affordable, accessible child care and early education. So, we continue to tackle the current child care crisis from all angles as a leader in our community and across the state.