No, the children in the photograph are not
"mine"--true. But then, that's part of the attitude which keeps
responsible adult-child relationships
in the dark. Politicians claim the
children aren't those of the taxpayers
and shouldn't be supported. Others
say that a student is a student, and
a parent is a parent: any combination
of the two is no one's responsibility
but the student/parent. The
contributions of every person, in any field,
to the world around them are
part of the care of children.
Childcare at the UI has along history which deserves it's own
homepage.
At the turn of this century, the UI pioneered work in Child
Development
and behavioral research. In addition, it's current system of
Childcare
centers is among the nation's leaders in accreditation,
cost-efficiency,
and student support.
At the Obermann Center
for Advanced
Studies, an ongoing grant program continues to provide
all-important
seed-money for new initiatives in child-related research.
The Center for
Advanced Studies Spellman-Rockefeller Child Research Grants
(CASSPR) fund anywhere from 3-8 new projects a year. Over the last
decade, several million
dollars in follow-up research grants, public and
private, have arisen from
CASSPR studies. CASSPR grants have examined
speech development, health
conditions, behavioral issues, child abuse
prevention, and so forth.
There remains a continued need to go forward on these and other
child-welfare-related
projects. The UI administration has proven itself a
strong supporter in
these areas and many programs can serve as a model to
other institutions.
If you are interested in these programs, please write
to UI Childcare Centers.
As I came
to know the work and dedication of the Childcare community,
and the issues
and obstacles it faced, it was impossible to ignore the importance
of
visionary planning for this growing coalescence of family and
professional
life.
I've worked to assist childcare for several years at Iowa for
the simple
reason that the philosophy of the Childcare Centers is
visionary. Childcare
is still an issue of consciousness, making people
aware of it not as another
fiscal burden but a productive addition to any
work or institutional environment.
You don't have to be a parent to
contribute, or wealthy to help out. Childcare
works best in a community of
volunteers, friends, and supporters of all
kinds. Iowa has made this its
own science.
Positive, mentally stimulating care for children makes stronger
family time
when parents aren't working, and give the parent peace of mind
in their
days' work--making this more productive as well. Structured
activities,
innovative play materials, international culture, and amazing
budget wisdom
have made childcare at Iowa a grassroots study in the
folklore of activism.
Until the rest of this site and the fascinating history of
grassroots building
of an accredited childcare system is presented here,
check out this source
of links:
The team at the UI began over 25 years ago with a
sit-in at a university
house which eventually became their first center.
Click here (**soon**)
for some memorable moments.