Vision 2020: The Santa Barbara County Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education fulfills the requirement of the California Education Code, Section 8231 (K) (4), for each child care and development planning council to: "Prepare a comprehensive countywide child care plan designed to mobilize public and private resources to address identified needs." This plan serves as a blueprint for improving early care and education services, as well as other services critical to the wellbeing of the children and families of Santa Barbara County.

Download: Vision 2020: The Santa Barbara County Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education

Download: A Call-to-Action Brochure 2020

The ultimate goal for creating and implementing this Strategic Plan is to engage stakeholders in our County to work together to meet the varied needs of our community. Even though the plan was developed by the members of the Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council - itself a broad-based group - we cannot do this without the commitment of all sectors of our community: education, health & welfare, local government, philanthropy, business and families. 

This Strategic Plan, our vision for children and families by the year 2020, was informed by findings from the recent Child Care Needs Assessment: Early Care and Education Needed Now!  This report can be found here.

Desired Outcome I: Caring communities will support high quality early care and education throughout Santa Barbara County.

• Goal 1: The public will be informed about the importance of early care and education.
  • We will continue to inform the community about the importance of high quality early care and education.
  • We will integrate public awareness of current issues affecting early care and education with other state and local campaigns.
    
    
• Goal 2: The community will support access to high quality, affordable early care and education for all families.
  • By 2020, there will be increased access to high quality, licensed early care and education services for children ages birth to 12 years of age who need care.

Desired Outcome II: A high quality early care and education system is available throughout Santa Barbara County.

• Goal 1: A system of high quality early care and education for all children in Santa Barbara County will be sustained and expanded.
  • By 2020, 25% of family child care providers and 80% of child care centers will use research-based practices in their programs
  • By 2020, participation of 120 sites will be sustained, there will be an increase in access to and enrollment in the Quality Rating and Improvement System of 25%.
  • By 2020, there will be 30 family child care providers accredited by NAFCC and 80 centers accredited by NAEYC.
    
    
• Goal 2: High quality early care and education programs will be staffed by a stable, well-qualified and well-compensated workforce.
  • By 2020, there will be a 5% increase in professional development participation by the early care and education workforce. 
  • By 2020, we will have retained 80% of our early care and education workforce.
  • We will continue to advocate for increased compensation for the early care and education workforce.

Desired Outcome III: Santa Barbara County supports the healthy development of the whole child, and promotes strong, nurturing families.

• Goal 1: All entities serving children will be part of a coordinated, integrated, countywide system.
  • We will continue to support an ongoing countywide communication system to promote coordination among organizations, agencies and individuals serving young children and their families. 
    
    
• Goal 2: All children and their families will have access to integrated and culturally relevant services.
  • We will refine and sustain a system for referring children and families to comprehensive support services. 

Since the Santa Barbara County Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education was completed, the Strategic Plan Committee of the Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council has endeavored to track efforts made to achieve its goals and objectives.