Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) advocates for the well-being of children in childcare.

Description:
CCR&R provides community based, personal services to help families in their search for child care, to support individuals and programs that care for children, and to build connections in communities to generate understanding and activism for child care issues.

To assist families, CCR&R provides helpful, informative consultations as families evaluate and choose appropriate care for their child. Parents contacting CCR&R receive a list of licensed caregivers that match their requests, which may include family child care homes, centers, after-school programs and preschool programs, along with a packet of useful education material to use when selecting a provider. Information about licensing regulations is also available to families.

To support individuals and programs that care for children, CCR&R provides meaningful training opportunities, including workshops, conferences and courses for child care providers, programs, staff and administrators. CCR&R provides technical assistance to those that are interested in,becoming licensed child care providers or programs. CCR&R staff are available to offer help to program staff related to child development, business issues, working with families as well as a variety of other topics. Early childhood programs can advertise their vacancies through CCR&R. We assist providers and programs in filling their vacancies.

To build connections in communities, CCR&R shares supply and demand child care data to identify gaps in service. Statistical information includes the capacity of the child care system in a defined area, the average cost of care, turnover numbers, reasons people need child care, and the factors that influence their decisions. CCR&R participates in local initiatives and collaborative efforts to improve services for children and families. CCR&R provides technical assistance to businesses/employers who want specialized referral services for their employees, on site seminars on parenting and child care issues, and information regarding on site child care or child care benefits.

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R), a program of Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership, Inc., is located in Moorhead, Minnesota. In addition to the Moorhead office there are satellite offices in Alexandria, MN, Fergus Falls, MN, Jamestown, ND, and Grand Forks, ND. Our office serves 21 counties in Northwestern Minnesota and 24 counties in Eastern North Dakota.

History:
In 1987 Clay County received a planning grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to determine the need for resource and referral services in West Central Minnesota. The grant and the tasks were completed by an advisory committee composed of child advocates in the region.

County licensers and a sample of child care providers and parents from the region were surveyed. The need for assistance in finding child care, making referrals, training providers and establishing new child care programs were reviewed. These surveys, followed by personal visits with the licensers, indicated a need in all these areas.

In April 1988, United Way of Cass Clay completed a community wides needs assessment. Data from this survey also supported the child care needs. This assessment revealed that 42 percent of a random population of parents and 88 percent of low income parents found child care difficult to find. Among the reasons given, a lack of information about programs and the lack of availability of sites were frequently listed.

In September 1989, Lakes & Prairies Child Care Resource and Referral became a part of the Clay Wilkin Opportunity Council, Inc. Start up funds were received from the Otto Bremer Foundation and a continuing contract from the Minnesota Department of Human Services was awarded to Clay Wilkin Opportunity Council, Inc. as the state designee for Minnesota Region IV.

In July 1991, the North Dakota legislature appropriated funds for a statewide system of resource and referral agencies to be developed. The service area for Clay Wilkin Opportunity Council, Inc. in North Dakota was expanded to include the southeast quadrant of the state, Regions V and VI.

In July 2004, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the State Child Care Resource & Referral network, the service area for Minnesota was expanded to include the northwest quadrant of the state, Regions I and II.

Contact person: Vanessa Strobel, Grants/Referral Coordinator, (218) 299-7004, (email)
Office fax number: (218) 299-7547

Address:

715 11th St N Suite 402 Moorhead, MN 56560 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.lakesandprairies.net

Directions:

We are in the Family Service Center Building in north Moorhead which is just south of the Clay County Courthouse.   Nearest Bus Stop: Clay County Courthouse, 2 (two) minute walk