Running a Program    Keeping Current    Activity Ideas    Tips From the Field    Parent Resources    Question? Comment?

Accredited Centers   Federal Centers   Finding Child Care   Head Start Programs   Product Safety Parent Resources Finding Child Care All in the Family Using relatives to care for your children while you work or go to school has some unique issues. Read this brochure to help make this choice a good choice for you, your child, and the relative caring for your child. This brochure from Child Care Aware is available in English and Spanish. Buscar el sistema de cuidados infantiles que es compatible con el temperamento de su bebe o niño pequeño Conoce Usted mejor que nadie como es su hijo/a. Conoce su estilo personal y su nivel de actividad. Este folleto públicado por “Child Care Aware” ofrece informacíon que Usted puede usar para buscar el sistema de cuidados infantiles que corresponde a las necesidades personales de su bebe o niño pequeño. Se puede adquirir el folleto en inglés o espanol. Census Bureau The bureau has data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation about child care arrangements, includes weekly child care costs. Child Care Aware Child Care Aware can put you in touch with child care referral agencies in your geographical area. Child Care Resources Handbook This handbook was developed by the Office of Personnel Management primarily to put employees in touch with the many free resource organizations and agencies around the country that can help them meet their childcare needs. It provides practical tips on how to find quality child care. It also identifies places to call for further information on related topics including whom to call for financial assistance. Choosing a Child Care Center and Family Child Care Provider The National Child Care Information Center has compiled a list of organizations that have developed guidelines and checklists on choosing child care based on research, observation, and experiences in the field. Included are organizations that provide information on child care centers and family child care. Choosing Quality Child Care for a Child with Special Needs This brochure from Child Care Aware provides parents with important factors to consider when choosing quality child care for a child with special needs. A sample checklist is included. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. Cinco Pasos para Elegir un Programa Infántil que Protégé la Seguridad y Salud de los Ninos Este folleto de “Child Care Aware” incluye información para familias y personas quienes usan los servicios de una guardaría infántil. Los detalles de este folleto proveen información sobre seguridad y salud cuando se eligen un programa infántil. El folleto está dísponible en inglés y espanol. Da Algo a Su Hijo/Hija que Durará una Vida Este folleto, públicado en inglés y espanol, detalle cinco ideas útiles para elegir un programa infántil de calidad. También se incluye una lista para revisar cuando está elegiendo una casa particular dónde cuidan a los ninos o una guardaría para su hijo/hija. Early Childhood Classrooms for Children with Developmental Disabilities Tour two exemplary early childhood classrooms that honor every child's need to communicate and make meaning of his or her life. These early childhood classrooms promote language and literacy among young students with developmental disabilities. Elegiendo un program infántil de calidad para un nino con necesidades especiales Este folleto de “Child Care Aware” incluye información importante para padres cuando están eligiendo un programa infántil para un nino con necesidades especiales. Una lista de factores de considerar está incluida. El folleto está dísponible en inglés y espanol. En Familia Hay unos puntos de discute cuando se depende de los parientes para cuidar a los hijos cuando Usted está trabajando o asistiendo a clases. Lea este folleto para ayudarse elegir bien - para Usted, para su hijo o hija, y su pariente en cuestión. Este folleto de “Child Care Aware” está dísponible en inglés y espanol. Five Steps to Choosing Safe and Healthy Child Care This brochure from Child Care Aware provides guidelines for families and consumers in choosing safe and healthy child care in various settings. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. Give Your Child Something That Will Last a Lifetime… This brochure from Child Care Aware provides parents with five helpful steps to choosing quality child care. It also includes a checklist to use when choosing a child care home or center. The publication is in English and Spanish. Matching Your Infant's or Toddler's Style to the Right Child Care Setting This brochure from Child Care Aware offers some guidelines on how to use what you know about your infant or toddler — like personal style and activity level — to select a child care setting that’s just right. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. Michigan Child Care Futures Project Good news if you live in Michigan! The Michigan Child Care Futures Project recruits and trains child care providers to increase the supply of quality child care. The project is unique because it reaches out to family child care providers, relatives providing care, and other non-regulated providers. National Child Care Information Center This site has state profiles for each state. The profiles include demographic information about the children, families, and child care in each state. You will also find contact information for all of the state agencies involved in child care. National Network for Child Care The National Network for Child Care publishes three free email newsletters for child care professionals: Child Care, Family Child Care and School-Age Care. Each newsletter comes out four times per year. You can subscribe to any or all of these newsletters. On-Site Interview Checklist The Office of Personnel Management Child Care Resources Handbook includes a checklist you can use when you visit a child care center or family child care home. If you are a provider—check yourself. How well would you do if a parent visited you with this checklist? Partnerships for Child Care at Nontraditional Hours Today's job market and 24-hour global economy require many employees to work shifts that begin or end before or after most child care programs open or close their doors. For parents who work nights, weekends, or holidays, finding quality child care can be a nightmare. This site offers a sampling of successful programs that operate during nontraditional hours. Quality Matters: A YMCA Guide to Quality Child Care This YMCA guide offers tips to parents about what they should look for when selecting a quality child care program. State Child Care Regulatory Offices This directory includes regulated centers and family child care homes.