Gov. Ned Lamont has signed an executive order for the creation of a strategic plan for what his office dubbed as “the next generation of childcare in Connecticut.”
At a ceremony in the Ridgefield-based U.S. headquarters of the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, Lamont announced his executive order mandated the establishment of the “Connecticut Blue-Ribbon Panel on Child Care,” which would prioritize equitable access to early care and education. Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye will chair the panel, which will consist of legislators, business leaders, education experts and officials and childcare providers; the nonprofits The Hunt Institute and Social Venture Partners Connecticut will provide input in the panel”™s work.
“Connecticut is one of the best states in the nation to raise a family, and I want to do more to ensure that nobody is left behind when it comes to accessing quality child care,” Lamont said. “One of the biggest barriers to high-quality childcare continues to be affordability, and we need to implement a system that provides quality education and care at a price that families can afford.”
Lamont added that childcare professionals in Connecticut were among “the lowest paid workers in our state, despite their vital work. A strong childcare system produces a stronger state, stronger economy, and better place to live for everyone.”
