DuPage County Board Proclaims Week of the Young Child, Recognizing Early Childhood and Community Collaboration

April 14, 2026

The DuPage County Board has officially proclaimed April 11–17, 2026, as the Week of the Young Child, recognizing the importance of Early Childhood and the collective efforts of organizations working to support young children and families across the county.  

The Week of the Young Child is a national celebration led by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), highlighting the critical role early learning, strong families, and supportive communities play in shaping a child’s future. 

According to the proclamation, the first five years of life are a time of rapid brain development that lays the foundation for lifelong health, learning, and well-being. In DuPage County alone, approximately 65,000 children ages birth to five benefit from a coordinated system of support that includes early learning, health care, and Mental and Behavioral Health services.  

This recognition reflects the strong partnership between Birth to Five Illinois: Region 19, the DuPage County Health Department, and the DuPage Foundation, along with local Early Childhood Collaborations and community partners across the county. 

“Supporting young children and families requires a coordinated, community-wide approach,” said Valerie Varju, Regional Council Manager for Birth to Five Illinois: Region 19. “This proclamation highlights the importance of working together to ensure families can access the resources and supports they need during the most critical years of development.” 

The DuPage County Health Department serves as the backbone organization for the DuPage All Our Kids Early Childhood Collaboration, which convenes partners to identify needs and advance solutions that improve access to services for families. Through this work, the Health Department also supports Basics DuPage and manages IRIS, a referral system that helps connect families to services and strengthens coordination across organizations. 

The DuPage Foundation plays a key role through Bright and Early DuPage, which supports Early Childhood initiatives across the county. Through this effort, the Foundation helps fund and guide eight local Early Childhood Collaborations, strengthening community-based systems that support young children and their families. 

The proclamation also recognizes the dedication of the Early Childhood workforce, including educators, child care providers, home visitors, family support professionals, and Mental and Behavioral Health specialists, who support young children and families across DuPage County.  

Through this proclamation, the DuPage County Board encourages community members to recognize the critical role early childhood plays in building a strong, vibrant future for the community. 

Pictured (left to right): Mike Sitrick, CEO of the DuPage Foundation; Paula Deacon Garcia, DuPage County Board Member and Human Services Committee Chair; Rebecca McFarland, Community Initiatives Coordinator for the DuPage County Health Department and Director of DuPage All Our Kids Early Childhood Collaboration; Valerie Varju, Regional Council Manager for Birth to Five Illinois: Region 19; Deborah Conroy, Chair of the DuPage County Board; Deborah du Vair, Bright and Early DuPage representative from the DuPage Foundation; and Greg Schwarze, DuPage County Board Member and Human Services Committee Chair.