What Is a Child Care Resource & Referral Program?
These programs serve as community coordinating and planning agencies for local child care services
and offer a variety of supports to child care providers, parents, businesses, and local governments.
The Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) program increases the supply of quality child care by
providing a broad range of support services to providers, and helps families make informed decisions
about available child care services.
The New York State CCR&R program:
- assists families by providing a highly visible, centralized source of information for child care consumers
- identifies sources of financial aid to help families pay for their child care choices
- improves the quality of available services by providing a broad range of support services to providers, including training, technical assistance and publicity
- expands the supply of child care by recruiting and training new providers
- educates parents about what constitutes quality child care and how to evaluate their child care arrangements on an ongoing basis
- encourages businesses to support child care
Click here to find your local child care resource & referral agency.
NEW! The Importance of Fatherhood in Home Visiting
Often when we think of maternal and infant home
visitation programs (herein referred to as “home
visiting”), we picture visits to a new mom. This is
because we picture mothers as being central to the child’s
development. But, of course, fathers also have a direct impact
on the economic, social, behavioral, cognitive and academic
well-being of children. Recent research provides strong evidence
for inclusion of fathers in the home visiting process and
many home visiting programs reach out to fathers. Including
fathers in home visiting programs is not only good for young
children, it is an opportunity to positively impact the health
and well-being of new fathers. Read more...
Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RttT-ELC)
In July, Governor Cuomo Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York State would compete in the federal Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RttT-ELC). New York is eligible to receive up to $100 million to improve the quality and access of early learning programs that provide a solid foundation for all of New York's children. The Early Learning Challenge will reward states that create comprehensive plans to transform early learning systems with better coordination, clearer learning standards, and meaningful workforce development.
Please see http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/071511race for full press release.
We need your support! Click here to read a letter from New York State Early Childhood Advisory Council Co-Chairs Robert Frawley and Sherry Cleary.
State and National Resources
The Early Care & Learning Council wants to keep our readers up-to- date on important information
that will affect you, your family and your child care business. Please check back often for important
updated resources. Many of our resources are in downloadable form so you can save them right to
your computer.
In the case you should need to download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat please click here.
We have also provided both state and national resource links for your use. Download these and keep
them in your files for your use.
* Health Info - HINI Flu Alert
Please see the attached information about planning for, and responding to, the H1N1 flu. You can also
find the same information on our website: https://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/childcare.
Dependent Care Assistance Programs
The American Business Collaboration and Corporate Voices for Working Families announce the
release of two new guides for employers and employees promoting the use of Dependent Care
Assistant Programs (DCAPs). These new booklets are designed to help working families pay for the
high cost of child and dependent care, as well as showcase best practices in the design and
administration of these programs.
New York State Resources to Help Families Make Ends Meet
Especially during this economic downturn many families are having a hard time making ends meet.
New York State has made it easier for low and moderate-income families find out about available
economic supports and services that can make it easier to make ends meet. A new Governor’s
website www.mybenefits.ny.gov is now available to make it easier for individuals to determine if
they may be eligible for benefits. View the full newsletter with more information.
New Food Stamp Eligibility
Thousands of working families with significant child care costs may now qualify for nutritional benefits
for the first time, due to an expansion of eligibility for the Food Stamp program. As of March 1, 2009,
OTDA raised the income eligibility level for working families with significant child and dependent care
expenses from 130 percent of the federal poverty level to 200 percent.
Food Stamps Expanded for Families with Childcare
NYS Afterschool Program Accreditation - Field Test
Afterschool Works! New York has been leading the development of a state-specific afterschool
accreditation model over the course of the past year. NYS Afterschool Program Accreditation model
launched its field test on Monday August 17, 2009. Please view the necessary documents on the
Afterschool Works! website at www.afterschoolworksny.org