YWCA Child Care Services and Programming
YWCA reaches 1 million women, girls and their families through more than 194 local associations in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
Since 1868, YWCA has provided early childcare programs, and today we are proud to serve over 200,000 kids annually through childcare, Head Start, and Pre-K programs. These programs promote child development and school readiness, while enabling parents to obtain and retain employment.
Providing safe and affordable care for children is crucial for working women.
Further, it is proven that strong programs build resilience in children. We believe that a parent should never have to choose between getting help due to a Domestic Violence situation and caring for their child. We are intentional with our wrap around services because it what our clients deserve.
We believe that all families regardless of income should have access to systems of early care and education. We work with early childhood educators and families directly to ensure that this happens. Additionally, we offer services to assist care providers in their knowledge of best-practices. Our Provider Services staff offers assistance and educational opportunities to those (licensed or license-exempt) who provide child care and early education.
Additionally, our associations provide programs that serve young people of all-ages though after-school, summer camp, and enrichment activities for children, teenagers, and young-adults.
A Snapshot of Our Programs
Early Childcare Programming
As part of our commitment to providing safe and reliable care for all children and their families, we recognize that this starts with our youngest clients.
YWCA Early Learning Academies at YWCA El Paso
YWCA Early Learning Academies are on a mission to provide excellent early childhood education in a fun, enriching environment. Their goal is to bolster positive social, emotional, and academic development while promoting school-readiness. With more than 40 years of experience in early childhood education, YWCA is the best choice for childcare in El Paso. They offer eight daycare locations around town and convenient hours for working parents.
YWCA Silicon Valley Childcare Centers
YWCA Silicon Valley Child Care strives to create a safe and socially just child-centered environment where children learn to understand, value, and create a society where all people are treated equally. Each child’s individual needs, personality, cultural background, and families are valued and supported. Children’s learning is fostered through S.T.R.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Recreation, Engineering, Art & Math) activities through daily opportunities for hands-on, active exploration and discovery in a variety of learning and constructive play activities.
YWCA TriCounty Area
The Early Education Centers offer children the opportunity to learn and grow in a creative and nurturing space, preparing preschool children for success in kindergarten and beyond, and enriching school-age children through after-school programming and summer camp. Classrooms for children 6 weeks through pre-kindergarten include infant/toddler, preschool, Early Head Start, and Pre-K Counts. Technology is also utilized in the classroom with iPads that allow teachers to record each child’s achievements in real time and share them electronically with parents. Classrooms have also added Hatch interactive educational software, which provides children with lessons in literacy and math through challenging games.
Enrichment Programming
YWCA recognizes that learning doesn’t end at school, which is why we’re proud to offer dynamic and diverse programs to enrich the lives of the children and youth that we serve.
YouthLeads (national initiative)
Launched in 2018, Youth LEADS (Leverage, Energize, and Define Solutions) is an initiative to combat gender-based violence among youth by providing young leaders with the platforms, network, and organizational support they need to create change. Youth LEADS looks to young people to drive the solutions that will change the culture and end violence in their communities.
TechGYRLS (multiple locations)
This youth empowerment program has been crafted to raise girls’ interest and confidence in the critical areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). The TechGYRLS Program helps young girls develop 21st Century skills like creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking/problem-solving skills. The program offers students a safe, supportive, girls-only environment for exploration and learning using hands-on inquiry-based curriculum.
Our Impact
In the 2022 Program Inventory and Impact Survey (program survey), 60.7% of reporting local associations offered 153 childcare program services to children and their families, of which 31% live at or below the Federal Poverty level. Two associations closed childcare centers in 2022 due to lack of sustainable funding.
66,373 total people accessed services through childcare and child development and family support programs
64% are Women and Girls
Our Work in Action
“Thank you so much for helping my daughter learn, grow, and gain respect for herself and others, as well as an all-encompassing sense of curiosity about herself and the world around her. I don’t know how we could have gotten through these years without all of the wonderful teachers at the Early Learning Center!
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“Nicky faces many obstacles throughout his 4 years of life thus far. He is a twin and twins are typically Nicky at Tri County developmentally delayed a little bit. On top of that challenge, Nicky also faces physical problems including epilepsy, kidney issues, GI tract issues, and more. This doesn’t hold Nicky back from smiling, laughing, and being the best brother to his two sisters.…Every parent wants their child to succeed and grow despite whatever developmental challenges might be present. Over just a few months, Nicky did just that at YWCA Tri-County Area’s (YW3CA) EEC…We took him to the same doctor, months later, and she was shocked about how much he had improved. She claimed his improvements were miraculous.”
“The staff was warm and caring enough to enable me to feel safe leaving a child when I knew how badly she needed a parent. Almost four years have passed since then. In reality, the ability to keep my career and support my family is only a fraction of what Magic Circle has given us.
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“We have had such a great experience growing at YWCA Ulster Counety. With their attentive staff, our daughter has become very well adjusted to her new environment. Our daughter transitioned into the toddler room, and. we soon started in the infant room at 2 months old. We hope to have both kids gradually withdraw from the YWCA. It’s a shared experience that none of us will forget.”