Senate President Daughtry visits Sanford and Damariscotta in statewide Child Care Listening Tour

SANFORD & DAMARISCOTTA – Senate President Mattie Daughtry continued her Support Kids, Support Maine Statewide Child Care Listening Tour with three recent stops in York and Lincoln Counties, meeting with early educators and administrators to hear directly about the urgent needs and innovative efforts shaping Maine’s early childhood landscape.

In Sanford, President Daughtry visited two locations, first the Emery Street Head Start program operated by York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC). The center serves children from six weeks to age 5. More than half of its student population experienced homelessness last year. It provides critical developmental and educational programming, and through the YCCAC, connects families to support services. 

“At Head Start and Early Head Start, we are deeply committed to serving all children and families in our community,” said Cecily Silva, Head Start Director. “Our programs go far beyond childcare—we provide comprehensive services that support every aspect of a child’s development. From health and nutrition to social-emotional growth and family engagement, we work hand-in-hand with parents to ensure children are prepared to succeed in school and in life. Our ultimate goal is to create a strong foundation for lifelong learning, health, and well-being.” 

With the majority of the policy council on the York County’s Head Start governing board made up of parents, the program places family voice at the core of its decision-making. Conversations at the visit highlighted a growing need for sustained mental health support for young learners, the importance of Maine’s wage stipends for staff recruitment and retention, and the critical role of case managers and family liaisons in supporting families facing housing and economic instability.

The second stop of the day in Sanford was at Kids Kove, a center-based program led by longtime early educator Jennifer Michaud. After more than a decade running a child care business from her home, Michaud expanded into a licensed center now serving up to 83 children and providing aftercare for families from three local schools. But with that growth has come hard choices. To maintain quality care and retain staff, Michaud recently had to raise tuition rates—a decision that came at a cost.

“In July, we had to raise our rates slightly to keep our beloved teachers,” Michaud said. “Raising the rates meant that for the first time in seven years of operating as a large center, our program’s new rates matched the 2024 state of Maine market rates for child care in York County. We gave 90 days notice but we lost 15 families. It was heartbreaking, but I believe investing in teachers’ quality of life is the right thing. This shows how tight families’ budgets are right now. While the program is empathetic to the rising cost of child care, in order to provide high quality care to our community, it is essential to hire and retain qualified educators, and this costs a lot of money.” 

The Sanford site is set to complete a new infant room this month, to welcome eight new infants with Michaud and her team painting and renovating at night to avoid disrupting care. But while the program is growing to meet rising demand, staff still face some challenges.

“I was a nurse before I started in early childhood education. I love my job,” said Danielle, a Pre-K educator. “But we don’t get benefits like health care. That needs to change.”

Senate President Mattie Daughtry (center) stands with staff from the Senate President’s office and Director Jennifer Michaud in front of the Kids Kove Child Care Learning Center in Sanford.

In Damariscotta, President Daughtry toured Coastal Kids Preschool, an inclusive early learning center founded 30 years ago by Priscilla Congdon. Priscilla, a lifelong early childhood educator, built the program while battling breast cancer, working night shifts at L.L. Bean to access health insurance.

Coastal Kids has long been a statewide model for inclusive, play-based education for children. With 24% receiving behavioral or educational support, the school integrates all learners in a setting where students learn from each other, and teachers learn from the children.

“Inclusive kids become inclusive adults,” Abi Iverson, Coastal Kids Development Director shared. “Play isn’t just fun, it’s foundational to development.”

As the only NEAYC-accredited early childhood program in Lincoln County, Coastal Kids has set a high standard for quality care. Yet, the center now faces intense pressure from rising insurance costs, staffing shortages, and low reimbursement rates that don’t reflect the true cost of running the program.

“We have to change the narrative that children don’t matter—that they’re not worth investing in,” said Jenn Caron, Executive Director and a 25-year staff member at Coastal Kids. “We invest in so many things, but we don’t invest nearly enough in early childhood education that could prevent so many downstream problems.”

From left to right: Abi Iverson (Development Director), Jenn Caron (Executive Director), and Priscilla Congdon (Founder) stand in front of murals inspired by children of previous years at Coastal Kids Preschool in Damriscotta. 

While the center remains committed to equitable access with 58% of families receiving some form of financial assistance, the long waitlist underscores the broader statewide supply and demand crisis.

“You’re not just paying for someone else’s child care,” said Jenn Caron. “You’re supporting the entire workforce behind the workforce.”

The listening tour continues across the state through October, as President Daughtry meets with parents, providers, and policy leaders to shape upcoming legislation that addresses the structural issues within Maine’s child care and early education systems.

“Across all three visits, one thing was extraordinarily clear: Maine’s child care system persists because of deeply committed educators—many of whom are working for unsustainable wages with limited benefits,” said Senate President Mattie Daughtry. “Educators and program leaders are looking for bold, long-term investments, family support systems, and sustainable funding models.”

Maine families, educators, and stakeholders are encouraged to share their stories, concerns and ideas for solutions by completing the online survey at www.tinyurl.com/supportkidssupportmaine