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A Letter from Our Leaders
In 2023, Childcare Resources celebrated 39 years since our founding as an outgrowth of a United Way of Central Alabama community task-force. Since the agency’s inception, our generous supporters have helped us raise over $80 million — enough to bring quality care and early education to thousands of children across central Alabama.
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As we reflect upon the data in this report, we find ourselves immersed in the profound understanding that the well-being and development of our world are intricately intertwined with the growth and empowerment of its youngest members. Through our collective dedication to cultivating environments of compassion, education, and opportunity, we have sown the seeds for a future where every child can blossom into a catalyst for positive change.
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Thank you for sharing in our belief that children are our greatest natural resources — and for your commitment to nurturing the boundless potential encapsulated in the hearts and spirits of children.
Joan Wright
Executive Director
Jenna F. Dorlon
Board Chair
Here's how we make it happen.
Train and support child care professionals, providing a sizable portion of training available in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker Counties.
Provide child care financial assistance
to low-to-moderate income working
families who earn too much to qualify for state subsidy programs.
Support families who are searching for child care options by providing comprehensive child care information, and advocacy resources.
Promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services.
Training and Technical Assistance
The goal of Training and Technical Assistance is to increase the quality of child care available to children by providing education through training and technical assistance to individuals working in child care or interested in a career in early care and education.
259
Training Sessions
92 In-Person
76 Virtual
37 On-Demand
54 Canvas Catalog
549
Training Hours
For nearly 40 years, Training and Technical Assistance have been the core of our work. During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, our agency had to quickly pivot from in-person training for the safety of our staff and attendees, and convert training to virtual and on-demand options.
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In the last few years, our agency has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, while continuing to offer virtual and on-demand training sessions alongside in-person opportunities. These sessions offer a unique opportunity for child care providers to continue accessing trainings needed for professional development, and to maintain or achieve licensing requirements.
Training Sessions from 2016 to 2023
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Training Options:​
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In-Person: Held at Childcare Resources or another specified location on a specific date and time.
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Virtual: Either a Live Virtual Online training with an instructor on a specific date and time through Childcare Resources’ Online Portal, or virtual through Canvas Catalog, a self-guided, self-paced online training course.
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On-Demand: Self-guided, self-paced training lasting from 1-4 weeks through Childcare Resources’ Online Training Portal.
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Canvas Catalog: Self-guided, self-paced online training course through Childcare Resources' Canvas Catalog. Participants register and attend trainings at any time during the course availability dates. Courses are self-guided and available online for 30 days.
“Since attending the Childcare Resource Agency in-person trainings and online courses this year, I've been eager, engaged and motivated. I am so excited to know Childcare Resources will be my one stop place for all my resources in getting my childcare business off the ground from start to finish.”
Training and Technical Assistance Program Participant
The goal of the Early Learning Resource Library and Van is to reduce the cost of delivering quality child care by providing access to teaching materials and resources free of charge. The Resource Center offers free membership and is open weekdays while the Resource Van travels 10 routes monthly.
29
Patron Visits to the Library
Patron Visits to the Van
209
Programs Participating in Van Routes
44
Specialty Programs
The goal of RISE is to positively impact the quality of child care in our community by assisting providers in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards, achieving measurable improvements, and supporting the pursuit of national accreditation and re-accreditation.
RISE = Reaching Improvement through Self-Evaluation
6
Participating Centers
Consultations
205
Training and Technical Assistance Visits
66
Child care programs desiring to improve quality in their centers rely on RISE to help achieve their goals. Childcare Resources’ National Accreditation Specialist works one-on-one, both virtually and on-site, with directors and teachers, guiding them to identify deficiencies and then enhance areas needing improvement.
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Because the RISE program requires scheduled meetings, follow-up, and classroom enhancements, participation in the program is incredibly time-intensive, meaning only a select number of specific child care programs are able to participate each year.
Participating Programs from 2016 to 2023
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The goal of the Infant Toddler Program is to increase the quality of child care available to infants and toddlers. The program is designed to assist classrooms in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards and to encourage directors to operate their program consistent with best practices.
Participating Centers
9
Consultations
68
Training and Technical Assistance Visits
13
“The support of RISE is important to directors because it provides the opportunity to share and discuss the challenges that we all face daily. I believe the support and opportunity to share ideas, collaborate, and encourage each other gave us the strength to get through an exceedingly difficult year.”
RISE Program Participant
Financial Assistance
The goal of the Supplemental Child Care Program is to help low-to-moderate-income working families with children birth to age five maintain employment and achieve self-sufficiency by assisting them with their child care costs at a legally operating provider of their choice.
Single Parent
Head-of-Household Families Enrolled
88
95
Children Supported
Direct Payments to Child Care Providers
$94,248
$44,000
Average Annual Income of Enrolled Families
$992
Average Child Care Payment Per Child
Direct Child Care Payments from 2009 to 2023
Average Payment Per Family
Average Payment Per Child
While the demand for our Supplemental Child Care Program (SCCP) remains the same, the amount paid through our program per family and per child continues to grow. With new sanitation and safety requirements for child care centers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, alongside continuing inflation and impacts of the economy, child care costs are on the rise, meaning more funds are being used per family and child through our program as compared to previous years.
Top Employment Sectors
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“I am solely responsible for my son financially and the Supplemental Child Care Program helped me when no one else would. I can go to work and know that my son is cared for and taught in a great facility. My son will be in kindergarten next year and I know he is ready and will be successful.”
Supplemental Child Care Program Participant
Resource and Referral
Resource and Referral provides free customized child care searches for the community. Each search includes provider profiles to assist the family in locating quality child care as well as parent resources to support the unique needs of each individual family.
Parents Created Accounts
608
672
Total Parent-Performed Searches
Child Care Referrals Provided
559
Searches by Category
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“I was new to the Birmingham area and lost hope in finding child care. I was referred by another agency to contact Childcare Resources for help so I made the call and left a message just hoping to get a call back. The coordinator called me back so quickly and was so sweet and genuine as I shared my child care needs with her. I could tell that she loves what she does and has a passion for helping others.”
Resource and Referral Program Participant
Head Start
Early Head Start Program
The Head Start and Early Head Start Programs promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services. Childcare Resources' Head Start Program operates through a partnership model with local schools, child care programs, and the community.
Funded Enrollment
594
157
Enrolled Early Head Start Children
Enrolled Head Start Children
262
Child Care Program Partners
11
4
Agency Operated Child Care Programs
Zip Codes Served in Jefferson County
35020 • 35022 • 35094 • 35203 • 35205 • 35206 • 35212 • 35217
46%
Head Start Families at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line
53%
Early Head Start Families at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line
90%
Head Start Children received health, hearing, vision, and development screenings
78%
Early Head Start Children received health, hearing, vision, and development screenings
“As a single mother, I needed childcare to support me as I worked toward my Masters Degree in Counseling. The Family Advocate at Childcare Resources' Head Start Program helped me complete an application and my daughter was enrolled that very same day. While I did have some bumps in the road on the way to my degree, the continued support I received from my Family Advocate helped me ensure I completed everything I needed to at school while also supporting my daughter's healthy development. I proudly graduated from my program in 2022, and was licensed by the State of Alabama in Counseling in 2023. Childcare Resources not only helped me achieve my goals, but has also set my daughter up for success as she starts kindergarten next year.”
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Head Start Program Participant
Agency Financials
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