ARCHS' Educare is proving to be more and more valuable to families who rely on child home care providers as a recent CNNMoney report says it will cost parents $8,000 more to raise a child born in 2011. That's a 2 percent increase from the previous year, according to CNNMoney.

Missouri ranks 27th in the United States with 11.6 percent of a (two parent) household income going towards child care. As CNNMoney points out, this is the one cost that consumes the most of a family's income.

"So for single parents, it's even worse," said Amber Stevenson-Donnelly, ARCHS' Vice President of Early Childhood Programs. "Home-based child care is much more affordable to families as many are turning to a friend, family member, or neighbor to watch over their child or children during the day."

ARCHS' Educare provides support to 75 home-based child care providers in Franklin County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, St. Louis City/County, and Washington County. Educare provides training and technical assistance to unregulated child care home providers, who receive personalized education, such as the home safety checklist and Emotional Beginnings curriculum. On-site consultations are provided by ARCHS' staff on how to improve the quality of child care programs.

In Missouri, home-based child care providers are not required to be licensed, or earn the 12 hours of training annually that licensed providers receive

ARCHS held a congratulatory brunch for its network of nearly 100 Educare home providers on May 21 at the Holiday Inn Select downtown. Remarks of appreciation and support were made by ARCHS' Chief Executive Officer Wendell E. Kimbrough and ARCHS' VP of Grant Management Services Amber Stevenson. Testimonials were also given by several of ARCHS' Educare partners.

In 2009, ARCHS was asked by the state of Missouri to assume responsibility for the Educare programs in the City of St. Louis. In 2010, ARCHS was asked to expand its role and ensure that quality Educare programming was provided to the entire region.

ARCHS' Educare aims to improve the quality of child care for Missouri's children between the ages of birth to five-years-old (emphasis on birth to 36 months). Educare is one of four early childhood initiatives that ARCHS supports on behalf of the Department of Social Services (DSS), Children's Division.

St. Louis resident Shirley Gorman has been in the child care field for over 30 years. The majority has been spent as a school teacher, but for the past two years have been spent watching her three grandchildren ­– Zoe, Caleb and Kelsi – in her home while their parents work during the day.

While Gorman has extensive child care experience, she openly admits she still has a lot to learn when it comes to watching her grandchildren. Because of this, Gorman enrolled in ARCHS’ Educare to improve her home child care center.

“It’s been a great benefit. We sometimes become complacent when it comes to our grandchildren or children and ARCHS’ Educare has made me realize I need to do the same for my grandchildren as I would for any other child I would care for,” Gorman said. “I enrolled in Educare to receive all the help I could get to help educate them (the children). I’ve been receiving educational books, free workshops, CPR training and in-home visits from ARCHS’ staff.”

In 2009, ARCHS was asked by the state of Missouri to assume responsibility for the Educare programs in the City of St. Louis. In 2010, ARCHS was asked to expand its role and ensure that quality Educare programming was provided to the entire region.

ARCHS' Educare aims to improve the quality of child care for Missouri's children between the ages of birth to five-years-old (emphasis on birth to 36 months). Educare is one of four early childhood initiatives that ARCHS supports on behalf of the Department of Social Services (DSS), Children's Division.

Educare is open to registered/unlicensed child care providers who have signed up with the State of Missouri to provide care to four or fewer children. ARCHS' Educare will provide training and technical assistance to unregulated child care home providers, who will receive personalized education using the Emotional Beginnings curriculum. On-site consultations will also be provided on how to improve the quality of child care programs by ARCHS' staff.

ARCHS' Educare serves home care providers in the City of St. Louis and counties of Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis, Warren and Washington.

Educare benefits the child care provider by helping them become more marketable and helping children in their home program get ready for success in school. Participants also receive educational materials and handouts to share with their families and they have the opportunity to meet other home providers in the area.