Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) have an extensive history of successfully partnering with outside organizations and businesses to respond effectively to the needs of the child care community. This history places CCR&Rs in a unique position to leverage these relationships to develop the capacity of their organizations to build, grow and assist in the implementation of Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) in their communities.

“I had so much fun on Thursday taking the parenting class with my husband & we made some new friends too while we were there. I will definitely keep going back every time.” 

“Such an awesome resource for children and families. Their staff is kind and caring and always make you feel welcomed.” 

“A-M-A-Z-I-N-G STAFF!!!!! Incredible resources! I love this place! There is a free library and playground where you can bring your children. They also have events on certain days!” 

These are just a few of the Google Reviews for the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) in Canton, Ohio, which is a member of Child Care Aware® of America.  

With more than 60 reviews that largely echo the sentiments above, and nearly a 5-star rating, what is the secret to ECRC’s success? Turns out: it’s about providing great client service and support.  

Angela Moses, director of Early Care and Education Services at the Early Childhood Resource Center, shared how she and her staff have worked hard to create a welcoming experience for the families they serve. Here are four tips for child care staff to address a client's concern:  

• Work quickly. When a concern arises, don’t delay. Work quickly to resolve the issue. 

• Seek understanding. Try to get a full 360-degree view of the situation, including the client’s perspective and the staff’s perspective.  

• Provide training. Equip your staff with resources, training and effective communications strategies so they can better support the clients.  

• Take an empathic approach. View the concern from the client’s point of view. This helps the client feel understood and can reduce overall tension and conflict.  

The pandemic has resulted in state and federal policymakers taking notice of the essential role child care plays. Child care has been prioritized as an issue desperately needing support and has been included in each of the three relief packages to date. But relief funds have only provided temporary solutions for the child care system and are just the beginning of what is needed to recover and rebuild after decades of underfunding. Federal policymakers are listening and are in the midst of considering additional funds to sustain child care long-term.

Year after year, CCAoA’s annual research report has found that the price of child care is too high for too many families. The good news is that change may be coming. Earlier this year, President Biden proposed big investments in child care and preschool. This month, Congress has put pen to paper and crafted legislation, called the Build Back Better Act, to make those investments a reality.

StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to record, preserve and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds, and Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) recently partnered on a project to interview child care providers. The providers were asked about their personal journey in the child care field and the impact of COVID-19 on their work and life. 

Every year, 600,000 military-connected families and children move around the country. The average military family moves three times as often as their civilian peers, and the majority of these “permanent change of station” (PCS) moves take place during the summer. But only 27% of military families reported feeling a sense of belonging to their local civilian community, according to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey.