Most
day centers in the United States are expensive. Working families find it difficult
to provide quality childcare to their children due to the rising costs. Fortunately,
there are considerable organizations in the United States that assist low
income families in affording the kind of the childcare that every American
child deserves.
These associations offer services to children,
their families, and child care providers. They ensure that families find child
care options they can afford. Most associations are non-profit. Childcare
associations offer a range of services.
Some of these include:
- Services that provide parents with referrals
and resources that are cheap
- Monetary assistance in the form of child
care subsidy to families with low income
- Subsidy in food to children who receive
child care but cannot afford their own food
- Additional services for children with special
needs such as monetary support, and resources
- Counseling as well as consultation with
parents and child care providers pertaining to the child's mental as well
as physical development
- License preparation, training, and professional
support to child care providers
Given below are some of the most prominent
childcare associations in the United States.
- National Association of Childcare Professionals
(NACCP) (http://www.naccp.org)
-One of the leading organizations in America that unites child care professionals
to enhance education and credibility.
- National Assoc. for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC) (http://www.naeyc.org)
- This organization is dedicated to early childhood education. It provides
public policy, child care issues, conferences, and seminars.
- National Association for Family Child
Care (NAFF) (http://www.naffc.org)
- Provides all kinds of referrals and resources, legal issues, as well as
subsidies.
- National Child Care Association (http://www.nccanet.org)
- This organization has centers throughout the United States. It provides
resources, subsidies as well as educational consultation.
- National Head Start Association (http://www.nhsa.org)
- This organization represents children and childcare staff throughout United
States.
- National Childcare Information Center
(http://www.nccic.org)
- NCCIC provides a guide on choosing an early childhood program and information
about the US childcare referral agency.
Some of the other associations include:
Copyright 2001, 2004. All rights reserved. Any reproduction
of this article in whole or in part without written or verbal permission is
strictly prohibited. For information about reprinting this article, contact
the copyright owner: Vanessa Rasmussen, Ph.D, Starting a Day Care Center, http://www.startingadaycarecenter.com.
|