About Child Care Aware® of America
Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the only national organization that supports every part of the child care system. Together with an on-the-ground network of child care resource organizations working in states and communities, CCAoA provides research that drives effective practice and policy, builds strong child care programs and professionals, helps families find and afford quality child care, delivers expertise and partnership to the military and direct service to its families, works with employers on child care solutions, and provides a real-world understanding of what works and what doesn’t to spur policymakers into action and help them build solutions.
Together we make America child care strong—and that makes everyone stronger.
- How we make a difference
America has a broken and inequitable child care system that is holding us back and hurting everyone—children, families, child care providers, communities, employers, and our military.
America needs:
- Affordable, quality child care that meets the needs of working and military families.
- A strong network across the country helping families find and afford quality child care while building the supply of sustainable child care programs with skilled teachers.
- Research, field-level intelligence, and analysis that is actionable.
- Public policy and funding that recognizes child care as essential to the nation.
We galvanize solutions through:
- A network that builds a quality system and helps families find and afford child care—with direct service to military families.
- Research that drives effective practice and policy.
- Advocacy that spurs policymakers to act and build solutions.
So that:
All families have access to affordable, quality child care that makes children, child care professionals, employers, the military, and our nation stronger.
- Our Vision
Every family in the United States has access to a high-quality, affordable child care system. The child care system supports children’s growth, development, and educational advancement and creates a positive economic impact for families and communities.
- Our Mission
Together with our on-the-ground network of child care resource organizations, we advance a child care system that effectively serves all children and families.
- CCAoA Strategic Plan
In 2022, Child Care Aware of America released its 2023-2025 strategic plan. Much has changed since then. Americans are experiencing a child care crisis as historic federal stabilization investments ended, causing classrooms and programs to close. Our priorities remain the same, our tactics must stay nimble to reflect the moment. Our refreshed plan charts how CCAoA will make a significant, measurable impact in today’s context.
