CCR&R Network
Indiana's Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Network is a trusted and knowledgeable resource for families, providers and community leaders that helps connect them to early care and education services, support and information.
Our Mission
To strengthen Indiana’s local early care and education infrastructure by connecting families to quality care, supporting providers, building capacity and engaging community leaders as advocates for high-quality, affordable early care and education.
Who We Serve
In most Indiana communities, demand for early care and education far outweighs the supply. Four out of 10 Hoosier children live in a child care desert, where there is only one early learning seat, or less, for every three children. Only 25% of known early childhood education programs qualify as high quality.
To help connect families to available high-quality care and expand early care and education opportunities, CCR&R agencies work with the following groups:
Families with young children in Indiana, including those in vulnerable situations
Early learning programs and educators, including prospective and emerging programs
Community organizations, employers and local policymakers and public officials
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Family Education & Support
CCR&R agencies work closely with all families that have young children in Indiana, including vulnerable family populations, to provide high-quality early care and education and out-of-school program referrals. They also conduct a number of outreach activities to reach more families.
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Program Services
CCR&R agencies help connect their communities’ early care and education programs to information, training and technical assistance opportunities; help recruit new programs to their communities; work to increase the number of program members in professional organizations; promote professional development opportunities such as cohorts; and work with emerging providers to help increase the quality of care and education.
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Awareness & Engagement
CCR&R agencies build awareness of their services and the importance of early childhood education within the communities they serve and develop partnerships with coalitions and task forces to ensure the needs of families and early childhood programs are considered in planning efforts. They also provide training for community agencies and organizations.
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Data Collection and Assessment
CCR&R agencies design methods to assess the needs of their communities; use state and federal statistics; develop plans for their communities based on the needs and data; and conduct annual quantitative and qualitative reports to share information on the services offered and their impacts.
Supporting Families
Below are six ways that local CCR&R agencies support families in their service delivery areas.
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Connect families to child care programs and other community resources
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Provide information on Indiana's Paths to QUALITY™ rating and improvement system
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Provide information on laws and regulations related to child care programs
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Offers enhanced referrals for families of infants & toddlers, school-age, children with inclusion needs and children experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity
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Educate families on how to choose a quality child care and early education program
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Host family workshops
Supporting Child Care Professionals
Below are four ways that local CCR&R agencies support child care professionals in their service delivery areas.
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Recruiting
Recruiting new early childhood programs into communities where there is a need for high-quality child care
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Training & Support
Providing orientation trainings and support to child care providers working to become licensed
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Knowledge
Increasing knowledge of child care operations for new providers
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Connections
Connecting child care providers to resources such as community supports, grants or professional development organizations
Connecting with Community Leaders
Below are five ways that local CCR&R agencies connect with community leaders in their service delivery areas.
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Increase awareness of the importance of quality child care and its effects on the broader community
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Support businesses in developing work-life policies and programs related to child care needs of employees
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Build partnerships with other family and youth-serving organizations to drive positive outcomes for families and communities
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Provide workshops for community members, employers and their employees
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Track data on local and regional child care trends in order to identify gaps and solutions
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CCR&R
Agency MapsTo find more information on your local CCR&R agency, click the map with your county highlighted.
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