Supporting childcare access by improving affordability and availability.

Families in Central Texas struggle to find care that meets their child’s needs. Our programs adapt to dynamic family contexts to increase access for those who find childcare challenging to attain.

  • The childcare market limits access for children and families with financial needs, logistical challenges, or developmental needs. Despite expansion of childcare slots, access remains limited. Care options are often incompatible with the practical necessities for families, including cost, location, and service type.

  • Inflating costs have become prohibitive for many families. Important developmental decisions are often based on the parents’ budget rather than the needs of the child. As families find alternatives to formal childcare, providers adapt by increasing tuition or reducing quality to control costs.

  • Services that are most valuable for families are often unavailable or are highly expensive. Long waitlists and high demand inhibit parents from attaining childcare that can have a significant benefit for the child and parent.

The Traditional Challenges

  • We increase access by addressing affordability and availability of services. Our programs are designed in a family-oriented fashion that supports parents and children, while reducing the logistical barriers that traditionally hinder access to care.

  • Our programs leverage multiple funding streams to improve affordability of our programs. By reframing childcare as a collaborative endeavor, we can engage diverse partners interested in supporting families’ needs for care.

  • Our programs extend the reach of childcare for families who have found care unattainable. This includes broadening services to include nontraditional hours and days of care. Partnerships with community organizations and employers help us to deliver programs in the most convenient locations, therefore improving availability for parents.

The ECL Approach

In need of childcare? We’re here to help.

We are gathering interest from families and partners for whom childcare access is a burden. Our goal is to assist families by addressing common barriers to access.

If you are a parent, or know of a parent who is seeking an innovative and responsive childcare, please complete our interest form.