On this episode of Inside Voices, Georgia Goldburn speaks with Parent Voices Contra Costa Parent Leader Tiffany Reed about turning lived experience into advocacy. From speaking out about concerns at her daughters’ child care center to joining advocates from across the country at the National Child Care Convention in Chicago, Tiffany shares her perspective on parent power, accountability, universal child care, and why families must have a voice in shaping the systems that serve them.

The conversation continues on Inside Voices with our host, Georgia Goldburn, takes a closer look at what equity should mean within Connecticut's mixed-delivery early childhood system. Building on CERCLE’s Restorative Justice Agenda, this episode examines the relationship between public investment, access, and the providers families depend on daily. As the state reshapes its early childhood landscape, we consider the larger questions: what will it take to form a system that fairly serves our families and those providing their care?

This week on Inside Voices, Georgia Goldburn continues unpacking CERCLE’s Restorative Justice Agenda for Connecticut's Mixed-Delivery Early Childhood System, a policy proposal that calls for repairing decades of inequitable public investment while strengthening Connecticut's mixed-delivery system. We dive into the Connecticut Early Start map and what it means for families exploring child care options and providers' available slots in their area.

Connecticut has made historic investments in early childhood education, but what comes next? This week on Inside Voices, Georgia Goldburn explores A Restorative Justice Agenda for Connecticut's Mixed-Delivery Early Childhood System, a policy proposal that calls for repairing decades of inequitable public investment while strengthening Connecticut's mixed-delivery system. The conversation examines five recommendations focused on equitable grant funding, expanding Early Start CT, increasing access to capital for child care entrepreneurs, and improving municipal implementation of state policy. Together, these proposals ask what it will take to build an early childhood system that is not only accessible and high-quality, but also equitable, economically sustainable, and community driven.

Why do some businesses thrive while others struggle to survive, even when demand is strong? Is access to capital the missing piece?

On this episode of Inside Voices, Georgia Goldburn sits down with Mark Hayles of Better Local Capital to discuss entrepreneurship, economic equity, and the barriers many small business owners face when seeking funding. Together, they explore how access to working capital impacts business growth, why childcare is a critical part of Connecticut's economic infrastructure, and what it will take to create more opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs.

The conversation also examines Better Local Capital's CT Childcare Working Capital Financing program, the unique financial realities of childcare businesses, and why investing in providers is an investment in families, workforce participation, and local economies.

Connecticut lawmakers called this year’s child care legislation historic, promising expanded access, new funding, and long overdue investment in early childhood education leaving us to wonder will families and provider actually feel the impact.

On this episode of Inside Voices, we join Child Care for CT to break down this legislative session, what’s missing, and why child care has become one of Connecticut’s biggest economic and political issues, From workforce shortages and affordability to universal child care and special education, we ask: is this a real turning point or just political messaging?