Many child care providers across the country ask themselves what they can do to make a better environment for the children in their care. They know they spend a significant amount of time with these children – at a time when their intellectual growth is thriving. After hearing many child care providers say they wish there were more opportunities that would a.) not take them away from their child care businesses and b.) provide accurate information so they can better do their jobs, we set out to see what was available.
The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies is one with which Alpha Cares is familiar with. It offers an affordable membership and with that membership comes tons of invaluable information (and access to much of it doesn’t even require membership). It’s a one stop shop for all things child care related. There is much research and data compilations to be found here, various publications, including a full report of The Economy’s Impact on Parents’ Choices and Perceptions About Child Care, state fact sheets and much more. The fact the agency focuses on both child care providers and families is significant.
There is also information for those wishing to provide more training to employees. Director training seminars are available as well as statistics for both providers and parents wishing to discover more information on their communities. Further, because each state has its owns compliance laws, it makes available those data as well. Clicking on any state will provide statistics compiled from a number of sources, including the Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and the state’s respective licensing offices. For instance, did you know Tennessee has 10,570 child care workers? These facts are easily found on the website.
Information on child development and what you, as a child care provider, can do to ensure the health and well being of those children left in your care is easily located on the site. It’s a powerful weapon to have in your arsenal as you seek to make life better for those you’re responsible for. Visit the site, look around and see if you agree. And as always, we welcome your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Leave us a message through our contact us page.
