* There are approximately 276 active, regulated child care programs and 3,880 child care slots for full time schedules of children ages 0-3 in Chittenden County, Vermont.

* 33% of home based child care programs in our area participate in the federal child care food program. This means that these care givers receive nutrition education and some reimbursement for providing nutritious meals and snacks to children in their care.

* Know the flow! Think of logical transition times (school or summer vacation, for example) when many parents are looking for new child care arrangements. Start your search early for quality child care!

* Going rates for hiring someone into your home to take care of your kids range from $10 to $15 per hour, depending upon experience and benefits offered.

* Approximately 1,070 Chittenden County families utilize the State of Vermont Child Care Subsidy Program to help pay for their child care costs. This represents over 1,400 children.

* Of the 276 active, regulated programs in Chittenden County, 58 have received formal accreditation. Here is a list of the types of accreditation a provider or program may receive:

Child Development Associate - CDA is a nationally recognized credential for individuals working in the child care field. Providers go through an extensive training program and have to pass an assessment in order to receive their CDA.

Step Ahead Recognition System (STARS) - STARS is Vermont’s quality recognition system for child care, preschool, and after school programs. Programs that participate in STARS are stepping ahead - going above and beyond state regulations to provide professional services that meet the needs of children and families.

NAEYC Accreditation - The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers this credential to child care programs that complete a rigorous process that is designed to assure that the program meets nationally recognized criteria for high quality.

NSACA Accreditation - The National School-Age Care Alliance sets its standards of quality for programs that serve young people ages 5 to 14 in their out-of-school time.

NAFCC Accreditation - The National Association for Family Child Care sets quality standards for its accreditation, tailored for the uniqueness of the family child care setting.

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