Phone: (802) 863-3367

Questions, comments, or concerns? Please feel free to contact us.

History

Child Care Resource is a nonprofit organization serving Chittenden County families since 1984. Originally called Child Care Resource & Referral, we were founded as the result of a United Way Task Force study on child care needs. At that time, nationally and in Vermont, women were entering the work force in large numbers.

With parents at work, more and more children needed programs that would provide nurturing care and learning opportunities. Families needed help finding programs, including after-school care and summer camps. Employers recognized that it was in their interest to assist employees with the child care needs. Our original and current funders include employers who wanted to assist their employees with their child care needs and to support the development of quality child care in our community. Click here for the current list of employers offering a child care search benefit.

Also during our first year of operation, Child Care Resource began to address children’s nutrition by becoming the Chittenden County sponsor for family child care homes wishing to participate in the federal Child Care Food Program. Child Care Resource now sponsors child care centers as well. We bring over $350,000 in federal dollars into our community to feed hungry children in our child care community each year.

In 1997, CCR began to help parents gain access to financial assistance from the State of Vermont to pay for child care making us a one-stop shop for all of their child care needs. Then, in 2004, CCR expanded once again by adding our own child care center, the Williston Children’s Center, which became NAEYC accredited in 2008.

Since 1984 we have helped more than 30,000 families find child care. Today there are about over 6,000 children enrolled in some form of child care or after-school program in Chittenden County.

WHAT WE DO

Child Care Resource helps over 2,000 families make connections with providers each year by:

  • Educating families about what quality child care is;
  • Helping families work through the emotional and practical aspects of choosing child care; 
  • Referring families to child care programs that may meet their particular needs; 
  • Maintaining a comprehensive child care provider database of 460 Chittenden County programs;
  • Providing detailed program information and openings in infant care, full-day child care, part-day preschools, after-school and school vacation programs, and camps.

Families can do an independent search for child care online or work with one of our Referral Specialist by phone or in person. We can provide information about child care in other counties if requested.

Child Care Resource each year helps over the 300+ Chittenden County child care programs strengthen early learning opportunities by:

  • Helping new providers get off to a good start;
  • Offering a comprehensive program of in-service training including individual and multi-part, workshops, full-day seminars, and college level courses;
  • Offering on-site consultation and resources related to overall program quality improvement and individual children’s needs;
  • Curriculum, environment, and pre-K education;
  • Children with special needs;
  • Peer mentoring;
  • Toy and equipment lending and delivery;
  • Supporting children’s nutrition through our sponsorship of the Child Care Food Program for homes and centers.

Child Care Resource provides critical information to decision-makers such as community planners, legislators, school administrators, and human resource managers who are interested in addressing systemic community child care needs and challenges.  By tracking trends in child care supply and demand and keeping abreast of new approaches, we help communities create solutions that increase access, quality, and sustainability. 

Annual Reports