(HARRIS COUNTY – Monday, July 21): The Harris County Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity (DEEO), in collaboration with CHILDREN AT RISK and through its Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN), proudly announces the selection of Collaborative for Children as the final vendor for its Facility, Safety and Security initiative.  

Following a competitive procurement process, Collaborative for Children was chosen for its extensive experience in early childhood education, child care operations and child provider training and coaching. The Facility, Safety, and Security Initiative is part of ELQN’s broader strategy to enhance the overall quality, safety, and functionality of child care environments across identified child care deserts in Harris County. In addition to providing developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor materials and equipment, the initiative will support improvements to the physical environment to create more welcoming, engaging, and developmentally supportive spaces for children and families. 

While 1 in 50 parents struggle to find reliable child care in Harris County, 4 in 5 are unable to access the subsidized, affordable care they need. To address this gap, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved $16.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in October 2023 to support the launch and implementation of ELQN through 2026. The initiative takes a community-driven approach to improving the quality and accessibility of early learning environments in five underserved regions. 

ELQN currently supports seven targeted, community-driven initiatives, each focused on implementing sustainable improvements to Harris County’s child care landscape: 

1. Training and Professional Development | Rupani Foundation: Provides training and coaching to enhance the skills and knowledge of child care providers and community members. 
2. Emergency and Temporary Care | WorkTexas! & Neighborhood Schools: Supports child care providers in serving families with children aged 0–8 who are facing financial hardships, emergencies, or are on the TWC waitlist by providing funding for child care and ensuring quick, easy access to support for the families they serve. 
3. Technology For Child Care | Collaborative for Children: Provides child care providers with improved technological resources aimed at enhancing early childhood development and improving the efficiency of business operations. 
4. Technology For Households | EasterSeals of Greater Houston: Provides qualifying households with developmentally appropriate technological learning tools and training related to the use of technology with young children. 
5. Curriculum Development and Implementation Services | Frog Street: Provides families and child care providers with high-quality, developmentally appropriate curricula and learning materials aligned with Texas Early Learning Guidelines, including bilingual support and direct consultation. 
6. Early Learning Kits and Materials | National Literacy Institute: Provides families and informal child care providers high-quality learning materials tailored to young children’s ages and language needs. Participants receive kits filled with books, toys, and activities designed to support early learning and development. 
7. Facility, Safety, and Security | Collaborative for Children: Provides developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor materials and equipment, addressing and improving the safety and security of facilities. 

As the designated Network Support Hub, CHILDREN AT RISK leads the implementation of ELQN by providing technical assistance to Local Network Organizations (LNOs) and overseeing the procurement and management of vendor contracts that support program initiatives. LNOs include East Harris County Empowerment Council, Harris County Public Library, VN TeamWork, Inc., and the YMCA of Greater Houston — each helping deliver high-impact, community-centered solutions.