About Us

---

The Child Care Council does many things to support quality child care in our county and region.  Here are some of the ways that we work.

We 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. We 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.

We provide guidance and education in a variety of ways, tailored to each specific family.

We Support Families To Raise Healthy Children

• 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 and newsletters
• Reaching out to parents with trusted, local information that enables them to make informed choices

We Build The Supply Of Child Care

• 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

We Improve The Quality Of Child Care

• Providing ongoing professional development opportunities to child care providers and staff
• Supporting accreditation programs
• Advocating for better compensation for providers

We 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

We Document Child Care Needs and Trends

• 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

We Engage New Partners

• Reaching out to business leaders, schools, community agencies, 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

We Tell The Child Care Story

• 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

Last updated April 4, 2024