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 individual 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 low-income families
• understanding that finding high-quality child care is just a first step to raising happy, healthy children
• by 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 to the child care field
• helping providers meet licensing requirements
• supporting providers by offering low-cost or free training in diverse topics like health & 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...

High-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

Child Care Aware®, a program of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), is partly funded by the Child Care Bureau (CCB), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services