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This year’s National Teacher Appreciation Week begins today, May 2nd and concludes with Provider Appreciation Day on May 6th. Vermont’s Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division would like to take this opportunity to recognize and express deep appreciation for the immense dedication of all early childhood professionals who support Vermont’s families by providing quality care and education to children and youth.
We recognize that Vermont’s early childhood professionals make a profound difference in the lives of every child and youth they serve, positively affecting families, communities, and ultimately our economy. These dedicated professionals prepare Vermont’s children and youth for academic learning and support them in reaching their full potential by providing access to meaningful provider-child relationships in safe, caring environments. These foundational relationships are critical for the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs, necessary to build a broad and solid foundation for lifelong wellbeing.
Vermont’s caring and skilled early childhood professionals provide programming to children across various child care settings, including Center Based Child Care Programs, Registered and Licensed Family Child Care Homes, pre-kindergarten programs, and out-of-school time settings such as Afterschool Child Care Programs. Notably, a number of Vermont’s programs, such as our Parent Child Centers, also provide referrals or access to critical services that wrap around children who need support due to economic, cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, and other challenges they experience. Additionally, the early childhood workforce includes professionals in Vermont's Children's Integrated Services (CIS), supporting families and children's healthy development and well-being through early intervention, family support, prevention services, and specialized child care.
The Child Development Division is grateful to the early childhood workforce for partnering with families to support children and youths’ healthy growth and development from every role within the early childhood system. The pandemic worsened preexisting pressures in Vermont’s early childhood system and identified those who provide direct care to children as essential workers. Our early childhood educators rose to meet the increased challenges by innovating on their feet and adapting to new and constantly changing expectations. We admire our early childhood and out-of-school time workforce for their support in helping children, youth, and families through these changing times.
To all of Vermont’s early childhood professionals: Your work matters; you have been there for Vermont’s children, youth, and families, supporting them through continued collaboration, compassion, and knowledge sharing. Vermont’s children and youth emerge from your care with a love of lifelong learning and a solid foundation for growth. We sincerely value your hard work, resilience, and dedication. Thank you!