May 11, 2001

Provider Appreciation Day
Set For, May 11

Bowling Green, Ky. - Child care organizations nationwide have joined together to declare today (May 11) to be Provider Appreciation Day. By calling attention to the importance of high quality child care services for all children and families, these groups hope to improve the quality and availability of such services.

Locally the Child Care Resource and Referral at Western Kentucky University would like to encourage families with children in child care to take this day to show their child care provider how much they appreciate them. Thank you notes, children's artwork, or flowers from your garden are inexpensive expressions of appreciation.

The child care profession at large is one of the most under-recognized and underpaid professions in the country and yet early childhood is the most critical time of development for our children and our future.

It is estimated that of the 21 million children under age 6 in America, 13 million are in child care at least part time. An additional 24 million school-age children are in some form of child care outside of school time.

A day of recognition for providers is long overdue. Parents with children in child care are encouraged to take this day to show their child care provider how much they appreciate them. It takes a special person to work in this field and their contribution to the quality of family life frequently goes unnoticed.

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