Los Angeles County, January 27, 2015 – President Obama announced that communities and states will receive grants to create new opportunities for low income infants and toddlers to receive full day, full year child care as part of his Early Learning Initiative. The Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) is one of 31 agencies in California to be afforded this amazing opportunity and has been awarded an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grant with annual funding close to $3 million.
“We are pleased to be able to increase the support to families and their children in high quality settings throughout our service area” said Michael Olenick, Ph.D., President & CEO of Child Care Resource Center (CCRC). “We see this as a bright beginning to improving the quality of care for infant and toddlers who have been overlooked for so long.” The agency will provide services to 216 children in the San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley and the metro Los Angeles area.
CCRC’s Early Head Start program currently serves 40 low income pregnant woman and families with infants and toddlers. In 2013, Early Head Start families participated in 80 hours of trainings, 36 socialization groups and received 1,700 home visits. This grant will allow CCRC’s existing Early Head Start program to partner with local child care centers and family child care providers serving infants and toddlers from low-income families. CCRC also operates 17 Head Start preschool centers serving 1,500 three- and four-year old children daily.
This Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grant will allow CCRC to provide and train child care providers to offer working families the same comprehensive services as the Early Head Start program. Each child participating in the program will receive developmentally appropriate activities and comprehensive services such as nutrition, health, and dental evaluations. Child care providers will benefit from coaching and mentoring to maintain a high level of care. Families will also receive parenting and child development support.
About Child Care Resource Center:
CCRC has been serving children, families and child care providers since 1976. CCRC manages programs to assist with issues such as finding and selecting child care and vocational training. Children and families benefit from these programs allowing parents to go to work and attend school, contribute to the economy and strengthen their families and the community. CCRC currently provides services for 35,000 children, parents and child care providers each month in Northern Los Angeles County and the entirety of San Bernardino County serving a total area of 22,500 square miles.
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