Child Care Resources Programs
Child Care Resources has helped families find and access quality care, and partnered with providers to improve the quality of care since 1990.
Brain development research proves that the most crucial time for learning is from birth to five, making quality child care and early learning opportunities foundational for the future success of every child. Statistics show that without it, children start behind and stay behind. Currently 55% of children in Washington are not adequately prepared to enter kindergarten and that percentage rises to 75% among children from families with low income.
Information and Referral
Parent counseling is available statewide on our information and referral phone lines. Resource Specialists assess family needs for child care, and provide referrals to appropriate child care providers. Parents may also access the database on-line at www.childcare.org at any time.
Technical Assistance
CCR provides culturally relevant and inclusive technical assistance to child care providers and other community members, both on-site and over the phone. Staff members develop materials that assist providers in developing and improving their programs, work with agencies and organizations concerned with children's issues, and link providers with appropriate resources. Trainings for providers are designed to offer basic instruction and current trends in a variety of child development issues.
Child Care Homeless Program
In order to allow a family the time they need to work on finding housing, a job and to meet their specific needs CCR provides funding for child care for their children. Many times the children have been through quite an ordeal and need the stability of child care to meet their needs as well. Once a client is determined to be eligible, s/he is seen by a CCR Parent Representative who works with him/her to assess activities and needs for child care, to help with the choice of a child care provider and for education about quality child care. A child care plan is created and an agreement is developed with the chosen child care provider to pay the homeless child's subsidy. Each month providers are paid for care after we receive documentation of the number of days the child received care. We communicate with parents on a monthly basis to determine their ongoing needs for care. We continue to provide care for up to a year depending on the family's progress towards stable housing and employment. The average amount of assistance provided is 2 - 3 months of care.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Child Care Resources has operated the homeless child care program for ten years. There is significant pressure at the state and federal level to significantly curtail funding for supportive services for the homeless. CCR is concerned that this will result in our work receiving significant cuts in the future. Therefore, we are looking for new partners to fund this important program. Even if the federal funding stayed in place the need for the program outstrips the amount of funding available. Our object is to ensure that we can continue to adequately staff the program and provide child care subsidy to those who need it.
One of the most important aspects of our work is our participation in Early Achievers, the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). CCR has been at the forefront of QRIS development in Washington State, serving as a key member of statewide coalitions focused on formalizing standards and curriculum. CCR is coaching and providing professional development with licensed providers in King County.
CCR is heavily involved in several collective educational impact initiatives, sometimes referred to as cradle-to-career initiatives. Studies around the world show that quality preschool education positively and significantly affects a child’s ability to be successful later in life, increasing test scores, decreasing school failure and dropout, reducing crime, and increasing earnings.