“Mills Consulting
Group has been a catalyst for the field of child care as long as people like
me can remember. They have had a positive hand in all the substantial
changes.” –Doug Baird, Executive Director, Associated Early Care and
Education
Our consultation with child care centers, school-age programs and community organizations include the following types of services:
- Child care market research and community feasibility studies
- Management consultation
- Program evaluation
- Budget and subsidy consultation
- Design consultation for new and renovated facilities
- Training programs and workshops
- Equipment selection
- Executive search services
Exemplary projects
Child Care Capital Investment Fund
Mills Consulting Group has enjoyed a long-term relationship with the CCCIF, an organization that helps child care providers in Massachusetts to improve or expand their physical space. Our work together has encompassed a variety of projects. Most recently we completed a feasibility study for the creation of a child care center in a housing development located in Western Massachusetts. This involved exploring the level of need for child care in the area, communicating with several child care programs to investigate their interest in operating a child care program at the site, and working with the housing developer to evaluate the findings.
On a previous project for the CCCIF, Mills Consulting Group was instrumental in assisting with the development of their program titled Building Stronger Centers. This is an intensive training and leadership program for center-based early care and education programs, designed to build capacity through the implementation of facility improvement or expansion projects. The program begins with a week-long, residential training institute in the areas of facilities project development, organizational management, and leadership development, and is followed up with a year of individualized technical support and access to both seed money and project financing.
Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston
We have had an ongoing relationship with the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston for over a decade. Most recently we have provided consultation services on vision and quality enhancement to their early care and education programs. Our work on vision has included the development of strategic goals for the early care and education programs in relation to the larger organization. Our work on quality has included working in partnership with the JECEI organization out of New York, providing coaching to the administration, and support to the director staff. This has focused on both the individual centers and overall policy issues.
YMCA of Oak Square, Brighton
In the spring of 2006 we were hired by the Oak Square YMCA to conduct a study regarding the expansion of their teen drop in center. Our approach to the research focused on gathering information on the best practices in operating teen drop in centers and on gathering feedback from those who are currently using the YMCA’s center and those who could potentially use the center. This entailed a combination of online research, interviews and focus group meetings. Interviews were conducted with five teen drop in centers in Boston and around New England, and three focus group meetings of current YMCA teen members, teen non-members, and parents of teen members. The intent of the research was to assist the YMCA administration to develop a new facility and expanded teen drop in program tailored to the youth they serve.
