A Collective Impact Organization for Early Childhood: Increasing Access to Quality Care by Uniting Community Sectors

Early childhood collective impact organizations are increasingly being used in communities to support the availability and use of birth to five services for children and families. Collaboration across sectors and services allows for greater ease of access to quality health and education services for families seeking or eligible for such services. Knowledge about the logistics of establishing a CI and the activities that lead to sustainment is critical for lasting impact; however, research documenting these aspects of early childhood collective impact models is scarce. This single-case design details how an early childhood collective impact model united stakeholders across a community to create a collaborative system of early care services. Findings offer insight into guiding principles that can serve to initiate and ultimately support collective impact endeavors for the purpose of improving early care and school readiness for children.