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Connecticut After School Network, Social Emotional Learning Alliance for Connecticut (SEL4CT), and Connecticut Children’s Collective are initiatives under our new organizational name, the CONNECTICUT NETWORK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

The Connecticut After School Network's mission is to promote young people's safety, healthy development and learning outside the traditional classroom.

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The mission of SEL4CT is to empower Connecticut children of all ages to thrive in school and life by supporting effective social and emotional learning programs, policies, and practices in communities throughout the state.

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The Connecticut Children’s Collective is a network of local partnerships creating positive outcomes for Connecticut’s children and families.

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The Connecticut Network for Children and Youth is the home of three initiatives: the Connecticut After School Network, SEL4CT — the social emotional learning alliance for Connecticut, and the Connecticut Children’s Collective.

We’ve always been grounded on what children, families and caregivers need. Founded in 1989 as the Connecticut School Age Child Care Association, we’ve grown and evolved over the years to take on new initiatives while staying true to our core vision of building a Connecticut where children and youth grow up safe, healthy, happy, and well-educated. While 80% of children’s time is spent outside the traditional classroom, we know that focusing all of our efforts on ensuring all kids in our state have access to high quality, affordable after school and summer programs isn’t enough.

With our new broader focus on the whole child, we are also spotlighting the fact that children don’t grow up in a vacuum – they are a part of a family, a neighborhood, a school district, a community. It’s the adults in these overlapping circles that care the most about their children, and should have the most to say about what opportunities and supports they all need to achieve this vision. That’s why we’ve clarified our mission to be more inclusive and better describe what we do:

We bring people together through strong local and statewide partnerships to help children, youth and families thrive.

So join us – help build the infrastructure in your community, the skills and strengths in your family, to help make the world a better place starting right here at home.