The Problem 

CCHCs are health professionals who also are knowledgeable about child health, child development and health and safety in child care. But their training may not have equipped them with some skills (e.g., communicating effectively with programs) that are essential to their work.  

Child Care Aware^® of America is rolling out a new informative series that illuminates exemplary family and community engagement practices. The Family and Community Engagement: Promising Practices Spotlight Series highlights and celebrates innovative, high-quality family and community engagement programs occurring in a range of early childhood settings. We hope this series will not only introduce you to successful initiatives making an impact in communities across the nation, but that it will inspire you as child care resources and referral staff (CCR&Rs), child care providers and other early childhood leaders as you advance your work with families and communities.

Kicking off the Spotlight Series:  The first spotlight in our series shines on, Apoyando Familias, Aprendiendo Juntos (Supporting Families, Learning Together), a radio show that connects weekly with Spanish-speaking families and caregivers. The program is a product of Wisconsin’s statewide network CCR&R, Supporting Families Together Association. This program demonstrates how organizations can leverage media outreach to create meaningful dialogue with and meet the needs of diverse families with young children and their communities.

The Problem

The number one cause of death and disability for children in the U.S. is from injuries. Most injuries are preventable AND predictable.

Child Care Aware® of America is excited to release four new story maps examining gaps in child care supply and demand  for infants and toddlers. Child care slots for children age birth to three can be both difficult to find and unaffordable for many  families. Our Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) partners in Alaska, Arizona, Delaware and Hawaii wanted  to investigate the supply and demand for infant-toddler care in their states, in addition to mapping child care supply and demand for children under six with all parents in the labor force.  Our findings were quite shocking: