PITTSFIELD — Local advocates have taken a big step for the littlest people of Berkshire County by forming a local chapter of the Western Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children.

Thirty-five people, including preschool educators, home child care providers and state early childhood education advocates, all gathered to celebrate the new association affiliate last night in the Berkshire County Head Start office on First Street.

As a nonprofit organization, the group works with local Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and now Berkshire counties to advocate opportunities for early education for children through age 8.

"For geographic reasons we haven't been serving this county as well as we should've," said Ellen Edge, association secretary and delegate to the Berkshire chapter.

The Berkshire group was formed through efforts of Kathleen Bailer, a local teacher and art instructor, and Anne Dempsey, an early childhood coordinator and preschool teacher for the Farmington River Regional School District. Both are also board members of association.

Bailer said the group started forming in January when she and other colleagues began speaking with local centers, schools and home care providers.

"We found that agencies are doing a very good job with training (workers), but there is virtually no networking. Advocacy is nonexistent," she said. "There's been no information stream coming into the county (about these issues)."

The purpose of last night's meeting was to not only provide a networking opportunity but to also make educators and caregivers of young children aware of local and state activity on early childhood education issues and resources.

"Most of our friends and families don't really know what we do," Edge said. "They think we're baby-sitting."

"In our jobs, we give children chance after chance to succeed," said Marcia Farris, executive director of the state association. "We are in the business of giving second chances."

Amy O'Leary, a field director for the Early Education for All campaign for the statewide organization Strategies for Children Inc., gave a 45-minute presentation on early-childhood education data for the county and state and also spoke upon current developments for early-childhood education legislation.

The campaign aims "to make voluntary, high-quality early-childhood education available to all Massachusetts children, ages 3 through 5."

According to recent data provided by the Massachusetts Department of Education, there are 8,530 children ages birth through 5 in Berkshire County; 3,416 of them are considered preschool aged.

Bailer said she hopes the new group can jump on with the campaign. She said the group is currently looking for members and volunteers and will begin a regular meeting schedule in the fall.

To learn more about or join the association, contact Bailer at (413) 229-3181 or visit www.berkshireaeyc.org.