Our Agenda

In America, more than 11 million children, under the age of 5, are in some type of child care arrangement. And yet, you may be surprised to learn that there are no nationally regulated standards for childcare centers. There are no uniform standards for training and education for child care providers. There aren't even national background checks for child care workers.

Child Care Aware Parent Network was developed as an initiative of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies in order to engage parents in our efforts to actively communicate with legislators to create a national agenda for child care.

This proposed agenda is based on standards that have already been implemented and have been proven successful… standards that NACCRRA helped develop for the Department of Defense in back in 1989. These requirements were set in place by the Military Child Care Act and are implemented at US military installations around the world… childcare facilities that are consistently referenced as the best in the nation.

These guidelines include:

All child care centers and family child care homes will be licensed.
All programs will be inspected through unannounced regular site visits by trained inspectors.
Staff inspecting these programs will be required to have a Bachelor's degree in a related field.
Child care center directors and training specialists will be required to have at least a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development.
Child care caregivers will be required to have:
- a high school diploma or GED
- training in first-aid, CPR, child abuse identification, fire and other health and safety practices.
- at least 24 hours of training annually
- State and Federal background checks with fingerprints
All licensed programs will be required to offer developmentally appropriate learning activities and opportunities to children and address various developmental domains

It may surprise you to know that an Agenda like this does not exist at a national level. As a concerned parent, it may even be disturbing to you. But that's why we need your voice. We need people like you to rally around us, to support and echo our message as we actively communicate to legislators.

There are many things about these times in our nation's history that are complicated, intense and, perhaps even divisive. The care and well-being of our children should never be one of those issues.

It is time for us to set the standards for quality child care nationwide. It is time for us to be the people who take action because, with all the other problems our nation is facing, we cannot afford to wait for our legislators to take notice that the care children receive can't be ignored.

As you go through our site, you will notice that in order to access many of the services, you must be a member. Membership is free and there is never any obligation of any kind. All we ask is your support for our efforts to improve the quality of child care in the US. Please join us in our efforts… Because 11 million children are counting on us.