LIFTING UP ALL FAMILIES

Larimer County is home to nearly 18,000 children under the age of 5—and the child care landscape is just as dynamic as the little ones it serves. From ongoing child care shortages to new opportunities created by dedicated funding for early care and education, our community is navigating a mix of challenges, possibilities, and exciting change. 

Three local mothers shared their thoughts about childcare in Larimer County and the potential impact 1B funding will have on all families. Kimberly Embers, Abby Czarniecki, and Meagan Varn are serving on our Family Voice Committee to inform 1B planning and outreach efforts.

• “Finding child care isn’t simply about choosing the program you like best. Families have to find quality care that is available, affordable, and actually works with their lives.” — Abby Czarniecki (pictured below left with her family)

  
  

• “Every child deserves a stable, nurturing environment where they have the opportunity to learn, grow and build the foundation for a successful future.” — Kimberly Embers (pictured below center with her family)

  
  

• “Child care didn’t just give me a safe place for my son while I worked—it gave me the opportunity to build a better future for him, and now for my daughter as well.” — Meagan Varn (pictured below right with her family)

Read more about their experiences with and hopes for childcare in Larimer County.

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On Choosing Childcare In Larimer County

• “As a stay-at-home mom, my kids didn’t necessarily ‘need’ to be in child care, but I knew how important it was for their development to be around other children and adults. I loved the idea of a co-op preschool because I could be part of their day-to-day learning while giving them the opportunity to grow and learn outside our home. When I visited Loveland Preschool, it just felt like a safe place where my kids would be loved, supported and given the opportunity to develop valuable skills.” — Kimberly

• “When we found out we were pregnant with our son, finding child care was one of the first things we tackled. We’d heard from friends how difficult it could be, so we started very early. Availability and schedules initially led us to La Familia, but we were also drawn to its broader mission of supporting the community. We valued the sliding-scale tuition assistance, Early Head Start, and emphasis on bilingual English/Spanish classrooms because we wanted our son to be part of a diverse environment. We’ve stayed with La Familia for our daughter because of the positive experiences we’ve had with the caregivers and staff, as well as the consistency of care.” — Abby

• “As a single, full-time working mom, child care assistance is what makes it possible for me to afford care for my children. When I began looking for child care, CCCAP availability was my first consideration, and the limited number of spaces available to families using CCCAP significantly narrowed my options. I started searching several months before my children were born and ultimately chose a center that accepted CCCAP, worked with my commute, and—most importantly—was somewhere I felt comfortable and confident my children would receive quality care.” — Meagan

Affordability, Availability, & the Challenges of Finding Care

• “The two things that surprised me most about finding child care were the cost and how early you have to start looking. Child care is so expensive that families often have to choose what they can afford rather than what they believe is the best fit for their child. Then there are waitlists, applications and hours spent researching options across multiple places. The process isn’t simple for anyone—whether a family is struggling financially or has the means to pay for care.” — Kimberly

• “I knew child care would be expensive, but the cost was still a shock—especially when we had two children in care at the same time. You can plan and crunch the numbers all day long, but until that bill actually comes each month, the impact doesn’t completely sink in.” — Abby

• “We started looking for child care extremely early—we joked that daycare directors around town knew we were pregnant before some of our own family and friends! Even then, waitlists and incompatible schedules and hours limited our options. It really showed me that finding child care isn’t simply about choosing the program you like best; families have to find quality care that is available, affordable, and actually works with their lives.” — Abby

• “When I had my son in 2020, I was shocked to learn that child care without assistance would cost me more than my rent each month. I remember looking at my budget and feeling defeated. How could I provide for my son if I couldn’t afford the child care I needed in order to go to work? And how could I build a better future for us through education if I couldn’t afford the care that made going to school and working possible?” — Meagan

Why Supporting Families Matters

• “As president of the parent board at Loveland Preschool, I see firsthand how many families struggle to find the support they need to provide safe, loving care for their children. When families are struggling, children shouldn’t have to bear that burden. If we can give kids a stable, nurturing environment where they can learn and grow from a young age, we can help give them the foundation they need for a successful future.” — Kimberly

• “It’s difficult to understand just how challenging it is to be the parent or primary caregiver of a young child while working outside the home until you experience it firsthand. I recognize the privilege I have to have the time and financial resources to navigate it, but the imbalance between quality, affordability, and availability in child care feels unsustainable. Families have changed drastically over the years, yet we’re still leaving parents and caregivers largely on their own to figure out those first five or six years of a child’s life. We need solutions that recognize how essential child care is to families and our communities.” — Abby

• “Child care assistance gives families like mine the ability to work, provide for our children, and pursue opportunities that can create a better future for our families. When my son was born in 2020, I was a single mom working full-time and had just started graduate school. Without child care assistance, I could not have afforded care. Having that support allowed me to continue working, provide for my son, and complete my education, which ultimately helped me secure a better job for our family.” — Meagan

The Impact of Child Care on Families’ Futures

• “I hope we can provide resources to families who need additional support to give their children safe, nurturing care. That means not only helping families financially, but also connecting them with resources and supports that help create healthy, loving environments for their children.” — Kimberly

• “Without child care assistance, I would not have been able to continue working, earn my graduate degree, and ultimately secure a better job for my family. Child care didn’t just give me a safe place for my son while I worked—it gave me the opportunity to build a better future for him, and now for my daughter as well.” — Meagan

The Importance of Supporting Early Childhood Educators

• “One of the hardest things to reconcile is knowing how incredibly expensive child care is for families while the teachers and caregivers doing this essential work are still underpaid. Before becoming a parent, I didn’t fully understand how much it costs to operate a child care program or how many resources are required beyond the classroom. It can feel like a lose-lose situation for families and educators alike.” — Abby

• “Public support for child care is also about making sure our children have access to high-quality care. Early childhood educators provide safe, loving, nurturing and educational environments for our children during incredibly important years of their development. Supporting these educators with the resources, education and tools they need is an investment in our children and the future of our community.” — Meagan

Hopes for the Future

• “I hope we can simplify the system for families. People shouldn’t have to navigate long, drawn-out applications and complicated processes just to find the support their children need. We have an opportunity to streamline that experience and make families feel heard, supported and valued in our community.” — Kimberly

• “I hope additional child care funding opens doors for more families who are struggling with the cost of care. Families shouldn’t have to choose between providing for their children, furthering their education and accessing quality child care. I also hope this investment supports early childhood educators by giving them greater access to education, professional growth, and the tools they need to provide the best possible care for our children.” — Meagan

Join a Voice Committee and Lift Up All Families  

Kimberly, Abby, and Meagan’s perspectives have been invaluable to our efforts to ensure all children in Larimer County thrive. Your experience matters, too—and we want your voice at the table!

NoCo Kids Thrive created our Family and Provider Voice Committees to make sure the programs and resources we develop reflect the real experiences, needs and priorities of the families and early childhood providers they’re designed to serve. These committees give community members an opportunity to share what’s working, what isn’t, and what would make a meaningful difference as new programs take shape.

Join parents like Meagan, Abby, and Kimberly in sharing your experiences and helping us build an early childhood system that works better for Larimer County families, children, and providers.

We kicked off our Voice Committees this summer, but there’s still plenty of room—and plenty of opportunities—to get involved. If you’re interested in joining the Family or Early Childhood Provider Voice Committee, fill out this simple form.

We want to make participation as easy and accessible as possible. Food, compensation, child care, and translation services are available for participants. Your perspective can help shape what comes next. We’d love to have you join us.