CCR&Rs help parents find child care
Choosing child care is one of the most important decisions families make, but all too often they must rely on word-of-mouth. Local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organizations help parents take the guesswork out of choosing care by providing:
- Referrals to local child care providers.
- Information on state licensing requirements.
- Information on availability of child care subsidies.
CCR&Rs provide guidance by phone, in person, and in other ways, such as the Internet, that are tailored to each family.
CCR&Rs support families to raise healthy children by:
- Talking with parents one-on-one.
- Understanding the delicate balance of family life, particularly for families earning low incomes.
- Understanding that finding quality child care is just a first step to raising happy, healthy children.
- Offering workshops, hot lines, and newsletters.
- Reaching out to parents with trusted, local information that enables them to make informed choices.
CCR&Rs build the supply of child care by:
- Providing an entry point into the child care field.
- Helping providers meet licensing requirements.
- Supporting providers by offering low-cost or free training in diverse topics like health and safety, child development, and sound business practices.
- Working with local and state governments and the private sector to leverage resources for building and maintaining the supply of quality child care.
CCR&Rs improve the quality of child care by:
- Providing ongoing professional development opportunities to child care providers and staff.
- Supporting accreditation programs.
- Helping create financial incentives for education.
- Advocating for better compensation for providers.
CCR&Rs bridge child care and education
Quality child care has many benefits, including preparing children for school. CCR&Rs strive to create child care settings that help children grow and learn by:
- Educating parents about early learning and the components of quality care.
- Informing communities about the important links between early learning and later success in school.
CCR&Rs document child care needs and trends by:
- Gathering information to better understand family needs.
- Acting as a major source of information about the local supply and cost of child care.
- Tracking trends about the changing needs of families.
CCR&Rs engage new partners by:
- Reaching out to business leaders, law enforcement, school teachers, and others.
- Making child care an issue the entire community cares about.
- Collaborating with other family support services to promote a holistic vision of child care that includes health, literacy, and special needs.
CCR&Rs tell the child care story by:
- Providing resources.
- Documenting community needs.
- Creating new ways to meet those needs.
- Bringing the voices of children, families, and child care providers to the public.