Transcript Document

Who? What? Why?
What do we do?
• Child Care Resource & Referral
(CCR&R) is a program to support quality
child care throughout the State of Iowa.
CCR&R is available to assist families in
selecting child care providers who best
meet the needs of a child and their
family. Child Care Consultants provide
on-site consultation to licensed
preschools, centers, non-registered
home providers, and Child Development
Home providers.
Our Mission:
Iowa Child Care Resource and
Referral provides resources,
education and advocacy to support
quality child care.
Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral
5 Regions
serving 99
counties
*Funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Care Division, the regulatory agency
for child care.
Part of a bigger picture
Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral is part of a larger organization, Child Care
Aware of America, formerly, the National Association of Child Care Resource and
Referral Agencies(NACCRA). NACCRRA began in the mid 1970's because of a
community need for a system to assist families in finding quality child care.
Our Services
• Families
• Child Care
Providers
• Employers
• Communities
Families
FREE Child Care Referrals
• Referrals to child care providers 24/7 online at
www.iowaccrr.org
• Call a Parent Referral Specialist 877-216-8481
– Monday-Friday 8:00am – 4:30 pm
– Education on choosing quality child care
• Referrals to other services
• Advocacy and support
Child Care
Providers
Helping Hands
Individualized support with:
• Licensing and Registration
• Consultation
• Technical Assistance
• Training
• Updating Files
• Referrals to other services
Employers/Communities
How do we put parents at ease?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Data on child care availability
Data on child care costs
Parent education services
Forums on child care issues
Advocacy
Early Childhood Education
What is quality?
qual-i-ty [kwol-i-tee]:
1.
2.
Degree of excellence
A distinguishing attribute
Source: Meriam-Webster
How do we
identify
quality?
ChildNet
• Registered providers can
complete
25 hour series course
through CCR&R.
– Small business improvements and
incorporating best practice into their
program
• Eligible to become certified
after series
– Complete certification visit with
Consultant
• Must renew every 2 years
Iowa’s Quality Rating System
QRS
A five-star hotel means high quality…
so does a child
care program.
Iowa’s Quality Rating System
Stars of QRS
1 Star
• Program meets the Iowa standards for licensing and
registration
2 Stars
• Program has made steps toward improving quality of
care
3-5 Stars
• Program has earned points in the quality indicators of:
• Health & Safety
• Environment
• Family and Community Partnership
• Leadership and Administration
• Professional Development
Accreditation
• Programs can become NATIONALLY
accredited.
– Accreditation requires programs to meet a specific set
of standards
– National Association of Education of Young Children,
National Afterschool Association, National Association of
Family Child Care and more.
Why should you care?
Programs that participate in QRS,
ChildNet, Accreditation show their
dedication and commitment to
provide quality child care and are
continually working towards
improving the quality of care.
Because this little guy cares.
Questions? www.iowaccrr.org