What is Child Care Aware of NWA?
Child Care Aware of Northwest Arkansas(NWA) is a non-profit organization that provides child care referrals in 17 counties in Northwest Arkansas, the River Valley, and Southcentral Arkansas. Other services include parenting classes, child care provider education, training and professional development opportunities. We also host the Healthy Families America Home Visiting Program. All services are free to you and the community.
Our History:
The Northwest Arkansas Child Care Resource and Referral Center began operation in August 1994 with the initial funding provided by the Levi Strauss Child Care grant funds. We received our non-profit 501-c3 designation in April, 1996. Currently we receive our primary funding from the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood to assist our agency to provide training and technical support to child care providers. Our mission statement is to improve the quality of child care through professional development: to connect families to childcare and other parent education opportunities and to advocate for the safety and nurturing development of all children. In 2012 the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood requested all Resource and Referral Centers funded by the Division to operate as a Child Care Aware regionally defined to assist in covering all counties statewide.
We have a 20 year history of assisting parents in their search for child care. We work with child care providers to increase child care capacity and to improve quality. We encourage child care providers to become Better Beginnings accredited and our agency provides professional development trainings and technical support to assist our providers becoming certified. Currently we offer parenting classes 3-4 times per week in English and Spanish.
Agency Mission:
To promote the development and nurturing of all children through quality childcare that is safe and healthy for every child. We work to strengthen and enhance parenting skills and improve communication between parent and childcare providers. We work to retain, recruit, and train quality new child care providers.
Who We Serve:
How Your Employees Benefit in the Community:
Services Provided:
Serving Counties of: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cleveland, Crawford, Drew, Franklin, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, Newton, Pope, Sebastian, Scott, Washington, and Yell.
Our History:
The Northwest Arkansas Child Care Resource and Referral Center began operation in August 1994 with the initial funding provided by the Levi Strauss Child Care grant funds. We received our non-profit 501-c3 designation in April, 1996. Currently we receive our primary funding from the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood to assist our agency to provide training and technical support to child care providers. Our mission statement is to improve the quality of child care through professional development: to connect families to childcare and other parent education opportunities and to advocate for the safety and nurturing development of all children. In 2012 the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood requested all Resource and Referral Centers funded by the Division to operate as a Child Care Aware regionally defined to assist in covering all counties statewide.
We have a 20 year history of assisting parents in their search for child care. We work with child care providers to increase child care capacity and to improve quality. We encourage child care providers to become Better Beginnings accredited and our agency provides professional development trainings and technical support to assist our providers becoming certified. Currently we offer parenting classes 3-4 times per week in English and Spanish.
Agency Mission:
To promote the development and nurturing of all children through quality childcare that is safe and healthy for every child. We work to strengthen and enhance parenting skills and improve communication between parent and childcare providers. We work to retain, recruit, and train quality new child care providers.
Who We Serve:
- Families
- Parents
- Children
- Child Care Providers
- Businesses and Industries
- Communities at Large
How Your Employees Benefit in the Community:
- Access to trained referral specialists for assistance with child care options
- Reduces stress and builds confidence regarding parenting issues
- Less absenteeism and tardiness to work: offering referrals and options
- Employee stability
- Invest in the quality of our future workforce
Services Provided:
- Profiles of all regulated child care facilities in a seventeen-county service area
- Child Care referrals to parents, families, DHS, and social services
- Training opportunities for child care providers
- Technical assistance to new and existing child care facilities
- A resource for parents to meet the needs of their children and families
- Quality enhancement for new and existing child care facilities
- A clearinghouse for child care information and statistics
- Capacity building in areas with gaps in child care services*
- English and Spanish Parenting Classes
Serving Counties of: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cleveland, Crawford, Drew, Franklin, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, Newton, Pope, Sebastian, Scott, Washington, and Yell.