North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration

North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration

North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration is dedicated to providing vital support for North Lawndale families with young children aged 0-8. The collaboration’s mission is to ensure seamless access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs and services. Since 2013, the collaboration has brought together community organizations across North Lawndale to advance the mission and promote a ‘no wrong door’ approach for families to access ECEC programs. Its overall goal is to increase North Lawndale families’ enrollment in ECEC programs by leveraging community partners that are invested in the success of ECEC and creating a pipeline of coordinated referrals.

The collaboration has taken on creating this pipeline by adopting the Integrated Referral and Intake System (IRIS), which is the coordinated referral system in North Lawndale that is spearheaded by the North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration led by IAFC. IRIS will enhance the collaboration work and will be the referral system used across collaboration partners to advance the mission of promoting a ‘no wrong door’ approach for families to access Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs. IRIS will help increase North Lawndale’s enrollment in ECEC programs and create a pipeline of coordinated referrals. This will create a collaborative environment among partners for the betterment of families and achieve the goal of tracking and increasing enrollment, all while aligning the work that is happening in North Lawndale and fostering stronger collaboration.

Learn more about the North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration