Promoting Peace of Mind

Dellon Singh, an early childhood educator and the owner of Occupational Fun Edu-Daycare, sees paper plates, cups and utensils as more than just vehicles for her students’ snacks. They are learning tools, “encouraging them to be able to set tables” and pour liquids with ease.

At her “children’s wonderland” in West Haven, she combines occupational therapy with early education “so the kids can get the best of both worlds, with physical and cognitive developmental domain skills.” Singh explained, “We are teaching them how to be little independents.”

These snack time supplies – along with other educational materials, like books and Lakeshore Learning Materials, “which is very expensive” – were covered through support from a 2024 Pathways to Economic Security grant from the Community Fund for Women & Girls. As a member of Creating Equity and Resilience for Childcare Leaders and Educators (CERCLE), a early education collaborative improving outcomes for underserved communities, Singh’s business received bimonthly classroom supplies.

These supplies are “essential,” said CERCLE Executive Director Tammy Robinson, allowing Dellon to “maintain a welcoming environment for the children in her care without passing additional costs onto the families she serves.” Instead, the support offered peace of mind for all parties, and gave Singh the flexibility to explore professional development opportunities.

“Dellon’s story is just one example of the ripple effect created by the grant,” said Robinson. "It not only supported providers’ businesses, but also directly supported the economic security and educational opportunities of the women and children they serve.”

CERCLE recently interviewed educators in their network and produced this moving interview with Dellon Singh. Watch that below:

Meeting the Moment

The early childhood education system in Connecticut has been in a deepening state of crisis, with structural barriers cited by experts and stakeholders around wages, pricing and profitability, staff retention, and continued losses in the family childcare center sector. Governor Ned Lamont recently formed a Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care to address these challenges. CERCLE has helped drive advocacy efforts, resulting in the recent passage of a “suite of bills” expanding access to early childhood education for thousands of children in the state. It is considered “the largest expansion of access to early childhood education in Connecticut history.”