The Need & Impact
The Need
63%
Of the total childcare needs in Beloit are not being met with services available (2)
23%
114
Is the average number of days unhoused families with children wait for housing services in Rock County as of July 2023 (3)
61%
Of Beloit residents stated that accessing childcare services was difficult or very difficult (2)
88%
Of Beloit residents in July 2023 agreed that childcare is unaffordable (2)
287
Represents the number of households in Rock County that are unhoused and waiting for housing assistance as of July 2023 (3)
The Impact
The Next Steps Family Resilience Center is a ground-breaking initiative that seeks to reframe the approach to individual and family needs as well as potential challenges to the community’s well-being. Extensive analysis by economists has shown that the key to future community success is an investment in early childhood development and education; this has been shown to result in up to $9 return per $1 invested through increased positive social, health, and career outcomes (4).
The key to this, however, is to ensure these children and their caregivers have safe and stable environments to nurture this development. Interventions that emphasize support for the current self-sufficiency of the family and the development of the children have been identified as a key pillar to addressing these needs (5). These safe and stable environments prevent the experience of toxic stress that is shown to damage the architecture of children’s brains, creating significant hurdles for their chances of future success.
Family Services firmly believes the holistic approach of the Next Steps Family Resilience Center is key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty while building a strong, engaged workforce and fostering a sense of unity among community members. It’s not just about providing housing and meeting basic needs; it’s about empowering adults with essential life skills, fostering early literacy and development in children, and strengthening the family bond.
