Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Birmingham, AL
Permit #4550
30
Celebrating 30 Years of Quality
244 West Valley Avenue, Suite 200
Birmingham, AL 35209-3616
Serving Blount, Jefferson,
Shelby & Walker Counties
A publication of Childcare Resources,
Central Alabama’s resource for child care.
The Resource, Special Edition
Please invest in children’s futures today using the enclosed envelope or
at our website, www.ccr-bhm.org. Thank you!
The mission of Childcare Resources is to make quality care and education of children happen by providing
information, education and assistance to families, providers of child care and the community.
Won't you please
help me and my
friends have a
bright future?
Invest in Children
Support the 2015 Next Generation Campaign
“The question is not whether we can afford to invest in every child;
it is whether we can afford not to.”
~ Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children's Defense Fund
This special edition of The Resource highlights Childcare Resources' programs and services
which are offered at low to no cost to central Alabama's families, providers of child care
and the community. You will make a difference in the lives of children who are impacted
by Childcare Resources' mission with your donation to the 2015 Next Generation campaign.
Volume 25 Number 3
Special Edition
Training, Technical Assistance and Career Assistance
Volumes of research tell us
that the human brain is not
completely developed at birth.
More
importantly,
research
shows that the early years of
child development are critical to
completing the architecture of
the brain that supports healthy
child development.
Childcare Resources provides
training and technical assistance,
including career assistance, to
child care professionals. In 20132014, more than 1,600 child care
professionals received training in
over 280 sessions.
Considering that over 60 percent
of working mothers in central
Alabama have children under
the age of 6, ensuring that these
children receive the best care
possible must be a priority.
The most significant predictor of
creating quality early learning
opportunities for young children
is providing teachers with training
and professional development.
Our Child Development Associate
(CDA) Credential Training is a
multi-faceted service designed
to assist child care providers
in achieving the nationally
recognized CDA certification.
Participants gain skills to improve
the early childhood education
experiences that enable children
to realize their potential.
Here's what one provider shared
from her experience "I received
my CDA Credential from the
Council! Thank you, Mrs. Nunn,
for having confidence in me. I
almost did not try for it, but you
encouraged me and made me
believe it would be possible for
me to succeed. Thanks to the
training classes I attended at
Childcare Resources, I am a
successful CDA graduate!”
E.J., a child care provider, who works at a family child care home
in Shelby County stated that having the Mobile Library Van visit her
child care program is a "huge convenience and cost saving way to
be able to provide fun and educational activities for the children in
my care. I am able to select new materials to check out and use with
the children every month. The children enjoy the music, puppets and
big books. I have found the teacher curriculum books very useful in
planning fun and engaging learning activities."
The economy is slowly improving but many families
still struggle to afford quality child care. Through
SCCP, low-to-moderate income working families
receive financial assistance for a portion of their
child care tuition, which gives parents peace of
mind that their child is receiving reliable care while
they work. In 2013-2014, this program served 222
families with 248 children and distributed more than
$198,000 to help children get the best start in life.
Janice, a single mom
with a 15-month-old
daughter, shared her
story with us: "I was
diagnosed with Lupus
11 years ago and it has
truly been a struggle
Your contributions to the Next
Generation campaign create more
success stories like these.
Early Learning Resource Library & Mobile Library Van
In addition to training
and
technical
assistance, Childcare
Resources
supports
child care providers by
lending free resources –
books, puppets, music
CDs,
educational
games and activities,
theme boxes and more through our Early Learning Resource Library
at our Birmingham office and through our Mobile Library Van. With
this service, the agency ensures that children have ample supplies of
new materials that engage them in learning through play.
Supplemental Child Care Program (SCCP)
Parent Education @ Work
Parenting is the toughest job
you'll ever love.
Parent Education @ Work
is
designed
to
support
working parents of young
children as they balance
work-life responsibilities. This
evidence-based
program
uses the Nurturing Parenting
curriculum, which focuses
on parenting topics that are
taught at Parent Learning
Sessions held at worksites
throughout the community.
Last year we impacted 72
parents who attended free
parenting classes. Employers
see this as a valuable
resource that demonstrates
their commitment to working
Learn more about Childcare Resources at www.ccr-bhm.org.
families.
One mom told the agency
about
her
experience.
"Everyone
has
ideas
of
parenting and methods they
employ in their household.
It was beneficial with the
classes to challenge these
ideas with proven methods
as well as ideas from others.
We were able to share ideas
and strategies from all of our
experiences. It has also served
as a networking opportunity
for people you may not
otherwise interact with.
I
appreciate the opportunity
to participate in the classes
and recommend them to all
parents or caregivers."
because I was unable to work for a very long time.
I have since gone back to work and enjoyed being
a mom. Working with Myra Davis and the staff
at Childcare Resources has really helped me to
maintain a sense of stability and peace of mind in
knowing that my child is cared for in a safe, clean
and structural facility that I can afford with the
financial assistance I receive from the program.
She is a very social little lady and I am thankful that
she is able to attend daycare and learn because
she is very smart and active. I will always be
appreciative to Childcare Resources because not
only did the program help my daughter but it was
like therapy and relief for me and a weight lifted off
my shoulders because I don't have to worry about
who will help me pay for child care."
Child Care Resource & Referral
With over 700 child care options
in central Alabama, families
benefit from guidance to make
a quality selection for their
child care needs.
Childcare
Resources’ Resource & Referral
Program helps parents identify
child care options that are best
suited for their individual needs
through phone consultations
or our online child care search
service. This past year more than
700 central Alabama families
utilized Resource and Referral to
find child care, completing more
than 2,000 searches.
Here's how one mom who was
new to the area benefited
from this service. "Being an
international student having
to relocate to Birmingham for
graduate school, I was faced
with the daunting challenge of
finding quality and affordable
child care for my adorable
daughter. With no friends or
relatives in the Birmingham
area and wearing the "hat" of
a first-time mom, I turned to the
internet for help and stumbled
onto Childcare Resources.
I called the office and was
helped by Ms. Myra Davis. She
was so patient while I asked a
barrage of questions. She sent so
many pamphlets and brochures
that were immensely helpful.
With the help of the service, we
eventually found a day care
that was a perfect fit for us. I am
so happy I found this service; I
can't say enough good things
and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the
service to everyone, even if your
child has enrolled in a child care
program before."
Watch our new agency video at www.ccr-bhm.org and meet parents and children we serve.